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THE    AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

THE  HEY.  WILLIAM  JAY 


^REMINISCENCES   OF   SOME   DISTINGUISHED   CONTEMPORARIES, 

FROM    HIS   CORRESPO 

LITERARY    REMAINS 


SELECTIONS   FROM    HIS   CORRESPONDENCE,    AND 


EDITED   BY 

GEORGE    REDFORD,    D.D./lL.D.^ 

AND 

JOHN    ANGEL L    JAMES 


IN   TWO   VOLUMES. 
VOL.  I. 


NEW    YORK: 

ROBERT    CARTER    &    BROTHERS, 

No.    285    BROADWAY. 


^:2^ 


V 


V 


ICnlered,  according  U>  Act  of  Coiipiress,  in  tlie  year  1854,  by 

ROBKRT   CARTKn   &  liROTMF.ns, 

In  llie  Clerli's  offlce  of  tlie  District  ('ourl  of  llie  Soiilliern  Dixlrict  of 

New  Yorlf. 


STEREOTYPED    BT  PBTNTKD    B^V 

THOMAS    B.   SMITn.  E     O.   JENKINS. 

216  Williaa-  St.,  N.  Y.  114  NnsMU  St. 


PREFACE 


AMERICAN   EDITION 


Heathenism  preserved  the  ashes  of  the  dead, 
Christianity  embalms  the  memory  of  the  just. 
Such  men  as  the  Rev.  William  Jay  belong  to 
no  body  of  Christians,  nor  to  any  particular  na- 
tion, but  to  the  Church  and  mankind  at  large: 
His  simply  beautiful  devotional  exercises  have 
found  their  way  to  almost  every  land,  until  his 
name  has  become  a  household  word,  rendering 
any  introduction  to  his  life  unnecessary. 

Whilst  living  he  deemed  it  proper  to  pre- 
pare an  autobiography  of  himself,  which  his 
family  have  published  at  the  earliest  possible 
day.  If  to  any  it  should  seem  imperfect,  the 
reply  is,  so  he  judged  best.  Those  who  knew 
him,  will  be  satisfied  that  it  was  done,  as  every- 
thing else  was,  with  a  desire  to  serve  to  the 


VI  PREFACE. 

utmost  his  day  and  generation,  when  he  should 
be  out  of  the  reach  of  either  censure  or  ap- 
plause. With  the  remarks  of  the  editors  alone 
some  alterations  have  been  considered  neces- 
sary, to  render  it  suitable  to  readers  in  this 
country.  Also,  the  American  edition  contains 
a  considerable  amount  of  matter  not  to  be 
found  m  the  English  one. 

Pelham  Priory,  N.  Y. 


PREFACE 


The  Editors  have  a  few  words,  and  but  a  few,  to  express 
— and  those  chiefly  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  reader — that 
in  the  following  pages  he  may  feel  assured  he  will  read  what 
Mr.  Jay  left  for  his  perusal.  It  was  the  anxious  wish  of  his 
family,  and  especially  of  his  executors,  that  the  manuscripts 
here  published  should  pass  precisely  as  he  left  them,  into 
the  hands  of  the  Editors,  one  of  whom  was  selected  by  Mr. 
Jay  before  his  death,  and  the  other  subsequently  by  his 
family.  To  them  the  papers  were  committed  entire,  and 
without  alteration,  restriction,  or  condition,  to  edit  them  for 
the  press,  according  to  their  best  judgment,  and  to  make 
such  additions  as  might  seem,  desirable  to  complete  the  nar- 
rative ;  carefully,  however,  distinguishing,  as  they  have  done, 
between  such  additions  and  the  original  work. 

In  undertaking  this  task  they  did  not  feel  that  they  were 
required  to  write  a  Memoir,  but  simply  to  complete  an 
Autobiography,  which  was  necessarily  left,  as  to  time,  un- 
finished ;  and  to  gather  up  such  other  portions  of  informa- 
tion, respecting  Mr.  Jay,  and  his  course  through  life,  as 
might  seem  desirable  for  the  purpose  of  perpetuating  the 
memory  of  so  much  excellence,  usefulness,  and  wisdom.  It 
has,  therefore,  been  their  main  object  to  let  Mr.  Jay  speak 
for  himself;  and  to  preserve  such  specimens  of  his  mind 
and  genius,  piety  and  usefulness,  at  different  periods  of  his 
long  course,  as  might  prove  both  gratifying  and  instructive. 

They  are  well  aware  that  a  large  circle  of  friends  are 
waiting,  with  eager  expectation,  for  a  work  which  its  author 


IV  PREFACE. 

had  often  promised  should  l)e  forthcominj;  after  his  death, 
and  which  it  was  well  known  he  had  long  been  preparing. 
To  such  they  trust  it  will  prove  all  that  they  had  antici- 
pated from  the  pen  of  their  esteemed  friend  ;  and  that  to  a 
still  wider  circle,  though  now  dead,  he  will  yet  speak.  Some 
persons  may  wonder  at  the  delay  of  the  publication  ;  but 
when  they  are  informed  that  the  ^hole  of  the  manuscripts 
have  had  to  be  rewritten,  from  a  handwriting  requiring  no 
little  skill  and  patience  to  decipher,  and  then  to  be  carcfidly 
compared  and  examined ;  and  that  much  new  matter  had  to 
be  collected  to  continue  the  thread  of  the  narrative,  and  to 
cai-ry  it  through  the  closing  scene, — it  will  be  evident  that 
no  time  has  been  lost,  and  that  greater  haste  could  only 
have  been  attended  with  defects  and  incompleteness. 

The  Editors  have  now  only  to  commend  the  work  to  the 
candid  attention  of  the  reader ;  and  the  blessing  of  Him  who 
alone  can  make  this  monument,  his  servant  has  inscril>ed  to 
the  glory  of  His  divine  grace,  eminently  subservient  to* the 
edification  of  His  Church  universal,  and  encouraging  to  the 
lining  ministry,  who  have  in  Mr.  Jay  an  example  which 
they  may  do  well  to  emulate,  and  an  instance  of  success 
which  they  will  scarcely  hope  to  surpass.  The  portraiture 
and  the  history  are  now  before  them,  and  with  equal  talents, 
superior  advantages,  similar  motives,  diligence  and  devoted- 
ness,  while  they  have  the  same  Gospel  to  preach,  the  same 
world  to  preach  in,  and  the  same  Master  to  serve,  why  may 
not  the  Church  yet  be  blessed  with  many  a  young  preacher 
who  shall  begin  as  auspiciously,  proceed  as  successfully, 
and  terminate  as  honorably,  as  William  Jay  1 


CONTENTS   TO   VOL.   I. 


Preface  by  the  English  Editors ^ 

Treface  by  the  American  Editor v 

General  Introduction  to  the  Autobiography,  Reminiscences,  &c.   .       1 


PART   I. 

THE    AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

LETTER  I. 
Eeasons  for  his  Autobiography 13 

LETTER  IL 

His  Parentage — Remarks  on  Pedigrees  and  Ancestors — Anecdotes 
— Effects  of  Scenery  upon  him 19 

LETTER  in. 

His  Early  Life— Methodism  at  Tisbury — Conversion — Mrs.  Turner 
takes  notice  of  him— Works  at  Fonthill  Abbey— Mr.  Beckford 
(Editors'  Notices  of  Mr.  Beckford) ■      .    26 

LETTER  IV. 

Visit  of  Mr.  Winter  to  Tisbury — Introduction  of  Mr.  Jay  to  Mr. 
T^Vinter — Letter  from  him  to  Mr.  Winter — His  Admission  into 
Mr.  Winter's  Academy  at  Marlborough — Mr.  W's  faith  for  pe- 
cuniary support — His  Studies— Village  Preaching     ...     34 


via  CONTENTS. 


LETTER  V. 

PAOK 

His  First  Sermon  at  Ablington — Contributors  .j>  the  Expenses  of 
his  Education,  John  Thornton,  P]sq.,  and  others — (Editors'  brief 
notice  of  Mr.  Thornton) — Proposal  to  go  to  the  University  of 
Oxford — Preference  for  the  Domestic  System — List  of  Students 
in  Marlborough  Academy 41 

LETTEIl  Vr. 

Applications  for  "The  Boy  Preacher" — Introduction  to  Rev.  Row- 
land Hill — First  Visit  to  Surrey  Chapel — His  Intercourse  with 
John  Newton  and  Rev.  John  Ryland — Invitations  to  settle  in 
London — His  Introduction  to  Miss  Davies — Residence  at  Chris- 
tian Malford — His  Farewell  Sermon,  and  Mr.  "Winter's  Address 
to  the  Reader 49 

LETTER  VII. 

Meets  with  Lady  Maxwell — Supplies  Hope  Chapel  at  the  Hotwells 
— Acquaintance  with  Rev.  T.  Tuppen — Preaches  during  his 
lUness — Opening  of  Argyle  Chapel,  built  for  Mr.  Tuppen — Ex- 
tracts from  his  Sermon  on  the  occasion — Dying  Chamber  of 
ilr.  Tuppen — Unanimous  Invitation  of  Mr.  Jay  to  the  Pastorate 
— Ordination  Service — Mr.  Jay's  Confession  of  Faith — Extract 
from  Mr.  Winter's  Charge  to  the  Pastor — Address  by  Mr.  Jay 
prefixed  to  the  Ordination  Service 66 

LETTER  Viil. 

His  Residence  at  Bath — Predilections  for  it — Circumstances  of  the 
Congregation — Harmony — Admission  of  Members     .         .         .97 

LETTER   IX. 

His  Marriage — His  Children — Death  of  his  son  William,  and  his 
daughter  Statira 102 

LETTER  X. 

Mrs.  Jay's  Illness — Peculiarity  of  it — Hia  Privation  by  it — State 
of  his  own  Health — Alarming  Symptoms — Mr.   Wilberforce's 


CONTENTS.  IX 

PAOU 

Advice — Introduces  him  to  Dr.  Baillie — Success  tf  his  Treat- 
ment— Reflections — Early  Rising — Abstmence — Patronage  of 
TeetotaUsm ill 


LETTER  XI. 

His  Authorship — First  Volume  of  Sermons — Monthly  Review — 
Succeeding  Publications — Hymns,  &c 119 

LETT  Ell  XIL 

Preaches  before  the  Duke  of  Sussex  at  the  Opening  of  Hanover 
Chapel,  Peckham — Review  of  his  course — Early  Disadvantages 
— Influence  of  his  position  on  his  Happiness      .         .         .         .125 

LETTER  XI] L 

His  Course  of  Reading — Favorite  Authors — Dr.  Owen — Robert 
Hall's  opinion  of  him  controverted — Favorite  Commentators  and 
Divines — Methods  of  Study — Composition — Mrs.  More's  Advice 
to  liim 134 

LETTER  XIV. 

Review  of  his  Annual  Visits  to  London,  and  Services  at  Surrey 
Chapel — Remarks  on  Frequent  Preaching — Visit  to  Ireland — 
Rebellion — Alderman  Hutton,  his  Host — Notice  of  John  Walker, 
Dubhn 142 

LETTER  XV. 

Visit  to  Scotland  for  the  London  Missionary  Society — Dr.  Charles 
Stuart — Letter  from  him  to  Mr.  Jay — Subsequent  Intercourse — 
Apology  for  his  severe  Criticisms  on  Mr.  Jay — Anecdotes  on 
Preaching — Remarks  on  the  Scottish  custom  of  Lecturing — His 
own  Preparation  for  the  Pulpit — Usefulness — Right  Aim — Ex- 
temporaneous Preaching — State  of  the  Pulpit  among  Noncon- 
formists— Methodist  Ease,  Earnestness,  Life,  &c. — Attraction 
for  the  Masses — Union  of  the  Two  Styles  of  Preaching — Best 
Character  of— Faults  of  Scottish  Preachers — The  Dry  and  the 
Luscious — Long  Preaching 149 


X  CONTENTS. 

LETTER  XVI. 

PAOB 

Criticisms  on  his  Sermons — Defence  of  his  Method — American  Re- 
vival Preaching  —  Scriptural  Language  —  Objectors  —  Pastoral 
Visiting — Complaints — His  Explanation 163 

LETTER  XVIL 

Pleasant  Review  of  his  Life,  Private  and  Public — Trials,  Pleasures, 
Ac,  &c. — Religious  Denominations — Complacent  Review  of  Di- 
versities— Not  incompatible  with  Union — Change  of  Religious 
Connections 178 

LETTER  XVIIL 

His  own  Church — Advantages  and  Disadvantages — His  Calvinism 
— Difficulties — Adherence  to  the  Bible — His  Rules  in  Studying 
it — What  to  Avoid,  and  what  to  Seek 186 

LETTER  XIX. 

His  Review  of  the  State  of  Religion  in  his  Youth  contrasted  with 
its  advanced  state  when  he  wrote — The  Establishment — The 
Dissenters — The  Institutions,  &c.,  &c 193 


PAET  n. 

SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

P.Y    THE    EDITOHS. 

Formation  of  the  London  Missionary  Society — Preaches  at  its  First 
Anniversary — At  Subsequent  Meetings — At  its  Jubilee — De- 
gree of  Doctor  in  Divinity  conferred  on  him  by  New  Jersey 
College — Death  of  his  daughter  Statira — Celebration  of  the 
Foitieth  Anniversary  of  his  Pastorate — Extracts  from  his  Ser- 
mon on  that  occasion — Sir  William  Knighton's  Account  of  Two 
Sundays  spent  at  Bath— The  Jubilee  of  his  Pastorate — Sermons 
— Speeches — Presentations — Hymns  by  James    Montgomery, 


CONTENTS.  XI 

PAOE 

Esq. — Gold  Medal-  -Pillars,  &c. — Made  Vice-President  of  the 
Bath  Bible  Society — Death  of  Mrs.  .Jay — Present  by  Feuiale 
Servants  of  his  Congregation — Second  Marriage — An  Assistant 
chosen — Rev.  R.  A.  Vaughan — Visit  of  Dr.  Johns  of  Baltimore 
— His  Account  of  Mr.  Jay  in  the  Family  and  in  the  Church — 
Last  Sermon  at  Aigyle  Chapel — Extracts  from — Illness  at 
Worthing  and  Resignation  of  the  Pastorate — Choice  of  a  Suc- 
cessor— A  Division  of  his  Church — Last  Illness — Temporary  Re- 
covery— Visits  Friends  and  Preached  his  Last  Sermon — Finished 
his  Last  PubUcation — Sayings  on  his  Sick-bed — Death,  Dec.  27, 
1853  —  The  Funeral  Services  and  Interment  —  Death  of  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Ashton—  Remarks — Miscellaneous  Sketches — 
Relaxations — Family  Worship — Simplicity  of  Manners  at  Home 
— Dr.  Bowie's  (his  Physician)  Recollections  and  Account  of  his 
Last  Days — Mr.  Jay's  Familiar  Expositions  at  his  Vestry — 
Several  Specimens — Letter  of  the  Earl  of  Gainsborough  on  his 
Death  204 — 294 


PART  in. 

KEMINISOENCES   OF  DISTINGUISHED   CONTEM- 
PORARIES. 

Preface 297 

I. 

Rev.  .John  Newton .  303 

II. 

Rev.  John  Ryland 333 

III. 
William  Wilberforce,  Esq.,  M.P. 336 

IV. 
Mrs.  Hannah  More 367 

V. 
Rev.  Rowland  Hill,  M.A 389  ^ 

1* 


PART    I. 


THF     AUTOBIOGRAPHY 


REV.  WILLIAM   JAY. 


GENERAL    INTRODUCTION 


TO 


THE    AUTOBIOGRAPHY,     REMINISCENCES,    &c. 


"  They  that  be  wise  sTiall  shine  as  the  brightness  of 
the  firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteous- 
ness as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever."  So  speaks  the 
Oracle  of  Sacred  Truth,  and  all  history  elucidates  and 
confirms  it.  When  such  moral  benefactors  of  the 
world  pass  away  from  the  scenes  and  labors  of  time,  a 
lustre  gathers  around  their  memory  purer  and  steadier 
than  that  which  attaches  to  conquerors,  statesmen,  and 
princes.  Even  the  honored  names  of  poets,  patriots, 
and  philosophers,  though  sounded  forth  more  loudly 
and  widely  by  the  trump  of  fame,  are  not  so  dear  to 
mankind,  nor  do  they  exert  so  benign  and  extensive 
an  influence  upon  the  heart  and  character  of  survi- 
vors. This  happy  result  seems  to  be  secured  by  a  law 
in  the  moral  government  of  God  which  conserves  for 
the  benefit  of  future  ages,  whatever  in  human  charac- 
ter is  most  redolent  of  heaven's  own  goodness  and  pu- 


2  GENERAL   INTRODUCTION  TO 

rity.  That  law  may  be  clearly  traced  in  the  history 
and  experience  of  mankind,  but  is  fully  read  only  in 
the  words  of  inspiration,  "the  rigbteous  shall  be  in 
everlasting  remembrance,  but  the  name  of  the  wicked 
shall  rot."  Even  the  world  itself,  true,  in  this  case,  to 
its  moral  instincts,  cannot  help  reverencing  the  one 
character,  and  despising  the  other,  though  unconscious 
of  the  law  by  which  it  is  influenced. 

Hence  the  fragrant  memories  of  the  good  and  great 
are  claimed  as  the  common  property  of  mankind. 
They  are  the  specimens  of  itself  in  which  humanity 
glories ;  the  types  of  what  men  ought  to  be,  and  liv- 
ing examples  of  what  the  grace  of  God  can  do  with 
even  a  fallen  nature.  Men  will  not  let  such  memories 
perish.  They  are  the  load-stars  of  life  to  many  :  lu- 
minaries to  all  eyes  that  never  sink  beneath  the  hori- 
zon. Or  in  another  view,  they  become  sacred  spoils 
rescued  by  their  own  inherent  immortality  from  the 
power  of  the  universal  destro3^er,  and  consecrated  by 
the  pen  of  history  to  embellish  and  enrich  future  and 
distant  ages.  Humanity  would  feel  itself  poor  with- 
out them ;  and  history  would  want  its  greatest  lights 
and  best  lessons. 

These  intellectual  and  spiritual  treasures  may  re- 
main embodied  in  the  writings  which  such  pre-emi- 
nently wise  and  good  men  bequeath  to  the  world ;  or 
they  may  consist  in  the  records  which  others  preserve 
of  their  bright  example,  wise  instructions,  and  useful 


THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY,    REMHSTISCENCES;   ETC.  3 

lives;  and  sometimes  partly  iu  tlieir  own  writings, 
and  partly  in  those  of  others  concerning  them.  It  is 
only  occasionally  and  rarely  that  such  persons  embalm 
their  own  memories,  for  the  benefit  of  their  successors, 
in  an  autobiography ;  and  probably  it  is  chiefly  due 
to  the  rarity  of  this  species  of  composition,  that  the 
desire  to  peruse  it  has  become  so  strong. 

It  is  a  difficult  and  a  delicate  thing  for  a  man  to 
write  memoirs  of  himself,  and  the  world  is  curious  to 
see  how  he  can  perform  it.  There  is  strong  reason, 
however,  to  doubt  whether  any  artist  could  produce 
so  good  a  portrait  of  himself  as  he  could  of  some 
other  person,  or  some  other  of  him.  At  any  rate  we 
have  seldom  seen  an  autobiography  which  conveyed 
so  accurate  and  complete  a  conception  of  the  charac- 
ter of  its  subject  as  might  have  been  conveyed  by  an- 
other hand ;  though  in  some  lineaments  it  might  have 
been  more  accurate  and  striking.  There  are  doubtless 
many  things  in  a  man's  experience  and  feelings  which 
no  one  can  understand  and  explain  so  well  as  himself 
— many  facts  in  his  history  which  no  one  can  describe 
so  well  as  himself-— and  perhaps  some  traits  and  some 
phases  of  his  character  which  no  one  can  harmonize 
with  his  individuality  so  well  as  himself;  and  if  he  be 
so  thoroughly  honest  and  simple-hearted  as  not  to  fear 
being  "known  and  read  of  all  men,"  and  so  devout  a 
worshipper  of  truth  as  to  sacrifice  pride  and  fatne 
upon  its  altar,  then  he  may  produce  an  autobiography, 


4  GENERAL  INTRODUCTION  TO 

tlic  accuracy  of  whicli  would  command  the  approving 
verdict  of  all  competent  judges,  and  the  value  of 
wliicti  every  reader  would  appreciate.  In  that  case 
we  might  place  the  portrait  in  the  picture  gallery  and 
moral  treasury  of  the  mind,  to  be  studied  for  imita- 
tion, as  well  as  reverenced  and  guarded  by  honor  and 
love.  When  the  memory  of  the  just  has  thus  embod- 
ied itself  in  form,  and  embalmed  itself  in  our  affec- 
tions, it  only  remains  for  us  then  to  give  to  it  that 
vital  force  and  influence  which  shall  enable  it  to  repro- 
duce its  like  in  ourselves  and  future  generations. 

Whether  our  esteemed  friend,  Mr.  Jay,  showed 
more  wisdom  in  writing  memoirs  of  himself  than  he 
would  have  shown  in  leaving  materials  by  which  some 
other  hand  might  have  traced  his  history,  and  describ- 
ed his  character,  or  whether  he  has  comprised  in  his 
autobiography  as  much  of  himself  and  his  history  as 
his  friends  and  the  world  will  care  to  know,  are  both 
questions,  we  suspect,  on  which  there  will  be  a  diversi- 
ty of  opinion,  and  which  as  editors  it  does  not  become 
us  to  decide.  It  is,  however,  quite  certain  that  many 
interesting  facts  in  his  history  are  not  noticed  in  the 
Biography,  and  that  some  of  the  most  important  and 
instructive  come  out  in  his  Reminiscences  of  other 
persons :  so  that  the  reader  must  not  expect  to  find 
anything  like  a  complete  narrative  of  Mr.  Jay's  life  in 
his  Autobiography. 

While  it  is  probable  that  many  readers  of  this  vol- 


THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY,    REMINISCEISrCES,  ETC.  5 

ume  will  feel  some  disappointment  that  Mr.  Jay  has 
not  left  us  a  history  of  his  life  at  once  more  compre- 
hensive and  minute,  yet  the  record  of  his  matured 
opinions  on  various  important  subjects  connected  with 
the  cause  of  Evangelical  Eeligion,  will  by  men  of 
sound  judgment  be  accepted  as  ample  compensation 
for  the  lack  of  historic  detail.  Of  how  much  greater 
value,  in  other  memoirs  of  eminent  persons,  would 
such  expressions  of  opinion  have  proved,  than  many 
of  those  ordinary  incidents  of  every-day  life  which  as 
they  convey  no  important  information,  and  elucidate 
no  principle,  serve  only  to  swell  the  bulk,  without  en- 
hancing the  worth,  of  the  volume,  or  it  may  be  vol- 
umes. In  the  one  case  we  are  listening-  to  the  decis- 
ions of  wisdom  and  experience,  while  in  the  other  we 
are  entertained  with  facts  without  interest,  or  garrulity 
without  amusement. 

Mr.  Jay's  Reminiscences  often  bear  no  inconsiderable 
relation  to  himself,  and  show  the  influences  of  early 
connexions.  But  there  are  many  interesting  and 
memorable  facts  relating  to  his  personal  history  which 
he  has  failed  to  record  in  either  section  of  his  work, 
and  which  we  have  felt  it  our  duty  to  supply  as  far  as 
we  have  been  able  to  collect  information.  In  the  mat- 
ter of  dates  also  in  the  Autobiography,  where  they 
were  most  essential,  our  friend  has  been  totally  negli- 
gent. There  is  scarcely  one  from  the  beginning  to 
tbe  end.     Most  of  those,  howe^s'er,  which  were  of  any 


6  GENERAL   INTRODUCTION   TO 

importance,  we  liave  been  enabled  to  supply  from  Let- 
ter, Magazines,  Keviews,  and  other  sources. 

To  us,  moreover,  it  appears  an  inauspicious  circum- 
stance that  Mr.  Jay  should  have  left  his  Autobiogra- 
phy to  so  late  a  period  of  life.  The  undertaking  was 
frequently  urged  upon  him  by  his  children,  but  it  was 
not  until  a  very  earnest  Letter,  in  the  name  of 'the 
rest,  was  written  by  one  of  his  sons,  that  he  com- 
menced it  resolutely  and  at  once.  This  was  about 
August  in  the  year  1843.     He  then  wrote  as  follows : — 

"  At  length  I  have  begun  in  good  earnest,  having 
such  good  health  and  some  leisure,  besides  what  re- 
laxation requires,  to  write  the  memoir.  The  sight  of 
the  Letter  you  wrote,  dated  August  6,  1842,  urging 
it,  fell  in  my  way,  and  I  yielded  to  it.  My  plan  is  to 
address  it  in  a  number  of  Letters  to  yourself,*  like 
Mr.  Winter's  to  me,  as  I  can  go  on  by  easy  degrees. 
I  have  already  written  seven,  but  I  send  them  not 
(not  having  copies),  lest  they  should  be  lost ;  and  I 
may  like  to  revise  them  as  I  proceed.  I  am  so  happy 
I  have  hit  upon  this  method,  and  begin  to  feel  an  in- 
terest in  it.  The  fragments  I  wrote  some  years  ago 
will  occasionally  come  in  with  alterations  and  addi- 
tions. Now  tell  no  one  this  but  your  wife,  till  I  give 
you  leave.  Should  my  health  continue  I  hope  to 
bring  together  a  good  number  of  these  Letters ;  but  I 

*  Tliis  was  addressed  to  one  of  bis  sons,  but  lie  afterwards  changed 
bis  purpose,  and  addressed  these  Letters  to  all  of  his  children. 


THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY,    REMINISCENCES,  ETC.  7 

find  I  must  not  apply  too  closely,  as  it  affects  my  head 
and  my  stomacli." 

At  this  period  Mr.  Jay  was  in  his  seventy -fourth 
year,  and  though,  as  to  his  preaching  abilities,  possi- 
bly as  hvely  and  popular  as  ever,  yet  as  to  his  recol- 
lection of  dates,  and  the  order  of  circumstances,  ,it 
was  scarcely  to  be  expected  that  he  could  avoid  some 
confusion,  even  if  he  retained  vivid  recollections  of 
events  and  persons  through  so  long  a  series  of  years. 
It  does  not  appear  that  he  had  kept  any  diary,  or 
memoranda,  and  most  probably  had  nothing  to  aid 
him  but  his  memory  when  he  first  commenced  his 
work.  This,  however,  we  believe  applies  solely  to 
the  Autobiography, — ^The  "  Reminiscences"  were  com- 
mitted to  paper  much  earlier,  at  least  in  part.  Some 
of  them  were  evidently  written  soon  after  the  demise 
of  the  subjects  of  them.  Many  of  these  were  persons 
of  note  and  eminence  in  their  day,  whose  friendship 
Mr.  Jay  highly  prized  ;  and  all  of  them  had  some  in- 
fluence in  the  formation  of  his  character,  or  in  direct- 
ing the  events  and  circumstances  of  his  life.  Several 
of  the  most  distinguished  subjects  of  his  Reminiscences 
have  had  copious  and  separate  biographical  works 
devoted  to  them.  This,  however,  will  not  lessen  but 
rather  heighten  the  interest  attaching  to  his  recollec- 
tions. They  are  entirely  his  own,  and  for  the  most 
part  will  be  clear  additions  to  the  facts,  already  known, 
concerning  those  eminent  and  excellent  persons.     In 


8  GENERAL   INTRODl'CTION  TO 

some  instances  a  clearer  liglit  will  be  thrown  on  c^.. 
tain  facts,  some  obscurities  will  Ijc  removed,  and  some 
mistakes  or  misre^jrescntations  corrected.  We  are 
quite  sure  Mr.  Jay's  anecdotes  will  be  liighly  relished 
by  the  admirers  of  those  characters  to  whom  they  re- 
late. 

Concerning  his  correspondence  we  have  only  a  very 
few  observations  to  offer.  It  appears  that  Mr.  Jay 
felt  a  great  reluctance  to  engage  in  letter-writing. 
He  refers  to  this  so  early  in  his  history  as  the  com- 
mencement of  his  acquaintance  with  Miss  Davies, 
afterwards  Mrs.  Jay.  The  reader  will  find  it  confirm- 
ed in  an  early  section  of  his  Autobiography.  He 
frequently  alludes  to  it  in  the  course  of  his  corre- 
spondence, and  in  several  other  parts  of  his  writings  ; 
sometimes  alleging  conscious  distaste  and  incapacity, 
though  at  other  times  charging  neglect  and  failure  to 
the  pressure  of  other  claims  and  the  multiplicity  of 
public  engagements.  Yet  we  have  had  a  very  con- 
siderable mass  of  letters  submitted  to  our  examination, 
a  fair  proportion  of  them  being  long  letters. 

In  a  paper  containing  directions  and  suggestions  to 
his  literary  executors,  he  writes  thus  :  "  With  regard 
to  my  correspondence  I  now  see  I  never  laid  sufficient 
stress  upon  letter-writing  as  the  means  of  promoting 
social  affection  and  moral  pleasure  and  profit.  I  had 
naturally  an  aversion  to  letter-writing.  My  letters 
were  therefore  few  and  imperfect,  and  written  in  haste, 


THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY,    REMINISCENCES,  ETC.  9 

as  if  occupying  time  taken  from  more  serious  engage- 
ments. I  therefore  think  none  of  tliem  entitled  to 
publication.  Yet  I  would  leave  tHs,  after  my  own 
expressed  opinion,  to  tlie  judgment  of  my  executors." 

While  using  the  hberty  here  conceded  to  us  for  the 
gratification  of  friends,  we  have  at  the  same  time  re- 
spected Mr.  Jay's  own  opinion  by  making  a  compara- 
tively small  selection. 

It  would  seem  from  Mr.  Jay's  high  appreciation  of 
the  epistolary  style  of  both  Newton  and  Cowper,  that 
he  felt  it  dif&cult  to  realize  his  own  ideal  of  excellence 
in  this  department.  This  may  explain  his  reluctance 
to  make  the  effort,  while  the  eagerness  of  his  corre- 
spondents to  be  favored  with  his  letters  attests  how  suc- 
cessful he  was  when  he  did  make  it.  His  own  style 
in  his  letters  scarcely  yields  in  simplicity,  playfulness, 
and  ease,  to  the  eminent  examples  at  which  he  as- 
pired. The  frequent  excuses  and  apologies  he  makes 
for  delay  clearly  prove  that  he  was  not  what  is  con- 
ventionally termed  a  good  correspondent.  In  this 
respect  he  contrasts  himself  with  his  admired  and  be- 
loved tutor,  who  was  distinguished  for  the  excellence 
as  well  as  for  the  extent  of  his  epistolary  correspond- 
ence. Mr.  Winter,  he  says,  "  frequently  cautioned 
his  young  men  not  to  follow  his  example.  In  one 
case,  at  least,  this  advice,  I  fear,  was  pursued  to  the 
extreme,  and  this  he  equally  censured.  The  writer  is 
the  guilty  individual.     When,  therefore,  I  had  my 

1* 


10  GENERAL   INTKODUCTION   TO 

last  interview  with  my  venerable  friend,  he  asked  me 
— for  he  was  willing,  if  possible,  to  learn  of  those  he 
had  tausrht — to  sketch  tlic  outlme  of  a  sermon  from 
the  words,  '  His  letters,  say  they,  are  weighty.'  I  com- 
plied ;  but  in  presenting  it  expressed  my  wonder  at 
the  choice  of  the  subject,  and  intimated  that  I  could 
hardly  deem  it  important  enough  for  the  edification 
of  an  audience  many  of  whom  could  not  write  at  all. 
He  smiled,  and  I  saw  he  had  gained  his  object.  In 
this  way  he  had  insinuated  a  mild  reproof  He  had 
drawn  from  me  some  reflections  on  the  utility  and  im- 
portance of  letter- writing,  by  which  I  own  I  was  con- 
demned." * 

An  indiscriminate  publication  of  a  man's  letters  is 
not  to  be  applauded,  A  considerable  proportion  of 
all  letters  written  by  men  of  such  publicity  as  Mr. 
Jay  must  be  letters  upon  business  or  domestic  occur- 
rences, or  entering  into  details  of  family  matters  or 
interchanges  of  friendship,  in  which  strangers  can  feel 
no  interest  whatever,  and  from  which  they  can  extract 
no  improvement.  It  is  but  rarely  that  men  engaged 
in  public  life  can  sit  down  to  discuss  set  subjects  with 
their  friends ;  and  it  is  but  very  seldom  indeed  that 
such  persons  can  afford  time  for  more  than  prompt 
and  brief  replies  to  tlieir  correspondents.  But  some- 
times their  letters  to  their  afflicted  friends  are  highly 
valued,  and  may  be  appropriate  to  many  besides  those 

*Mr  Jay'B  Life  of  Winter,  p.  313. 


THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY',    REMINISCENCES,  ETC.         11 

to  wliom  they  were  first  addressed.  We  have  made  a 
selection  of  those  letters  to  Mr.  Jay's  friends,  and  of 
some  of  theirs  to  him,  which  we  have  thought  would 
be  read  with  interest  by  others. 

We  trust  the  perusal  of  the  whole  work  will  grati- 
fy Mr.  Jay's  numerous  friends,  and  through  the  Di- 
vine blessing  promote  that  great  and  good  cause  to 
which  our  venerated  friend  devoted  his  long  life  and 
earnest  endeavors. 


LETTER    I. 

REASONS   FOE  HIS   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

My  very  dear  Children, — ^I  duly  received  your 
very  kind  and  respectful  letter.  The  contents  were 
both  pleasing  and  humbling.  I  could  not  but  feel 
gratified  by  the  expressions  of  your  filial  affection  and 
piety  ;  yet  my  conscience  told  me  while  reading  them, 
how  far  short  I  came  in  fally  exemplifying  the  quali- 
ties and  excellences  which  your  regard  has  led  you  to 
attach  to  your  father. 

The  let1;er  is  too  partial  and  flattering  to  be  here  in- 
troduced. But  what  can  I  say  to  the  proposal  it 
brings,  in  pressing  me  to  write  some  account  of  my- 
self, and  the  leading  events  of  my  life  ?  The  applica- 
tion has  a  powerful  claim  in  coming  from  those  who 
stand  in  a  relation  so  near ;  and  it  acquires  additional 
influence  when,  as  you  affirm,  it  is  accompanied  and 
enforced  by  the  earnest  wishes  of  my  other  relatives 
and  friends,  and  church  and  congregation,  and  of 
many  of  the  public. 

But  before  I  could  determine  on  refusing  or  com- 
plying with  the  proposal,  I  had  four  things  to  con- 
sider : — 

First,  Whether  such  a  memoir  ought  to  be  secured  ? 


14  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

This  was  a  delicate  question  for  the  individual  him- 
self to  answer,  and  some  might  suppose  that  he  could 
not  answer  in  the  affirmative,  without  betraying  self- 
importance.  But  humility  is  not  founded  on  igno- 
rance. A  man  may  know  and  own  w^hat  he  is,  with- 
out vanity  or  pride,  if  he  can  say,  "  By  the  grace  of 
God  I  am  what  I  am ;"  "Not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God 
w'hich  was  with  me."  It  would  have  been  mere  affec- 
tation (and  it  must  have  been  deemed  so),  had  I  seemed 
unacquainted  with  my  rise  from  an  obscure  condition, 
the  earliness  of  my  preaching,  the  degree  of  popularity 
attending  my  first  efforts  ;  the  undiminished  continu- 
ance of  the  favor  shown  to  my  labors  ;  the  candid  re- 
spect I  have  received  from  tlic  various  religious  de- 
nominations I  have  occasionally  served ;  tlie  friendly 
notice  taken  of  me  by  some  very  significant  person- 
ages ;  the  number  of  my  publications,  with  their  ac- 
ceptance and  enlarged  circulation  at  home  and  abroad  ; 
and  the  portion  of  usefulness,  in  serving  my  genera- 
tion for  more  than  half  a  century,  which  is  generally 
attributed  to  my  endeavoi'S. 

A  secoyid  question  was.  Whether,  if  I  refused  this 
proposal,  everything  of  the  kind  would  be  prevented 
from  other  quarters  ?  The  present  rage  for  biography 
is  excessive  and  notorious.  Such  is  the  voracity  of 
its  appetite,  that  it  frequently  waits  not  for  the  license 
which  death  is  supposed  to  give.  It  falls  ujDon  its 
prey,  and  devours  it  alive ;  and  many  a  man  may  be 
himself  the  reader  of  his  own  character  and  history, 
furnished  by  some  anonymous  or  even  known  writer. 
A  number  of  different  sketches  of  myself  have  al- 
ready appeared  in  periodical  or  separate  j^ublications 
in  England  and  America.     It  is  not,  therefore,  impos- 


THE   KEY.   WILLIAM   JAY.  15 

sible  or  improbable  but  some  notices  after  my  deatli 
may  be  attempted,  either  by  tlie  mercenary  or  needy 
grasping  at  gain,  or  by  real  friends,  meaning  well,  but 
laboring  often  in  tlie  dark. 

Thirdly.  It  was  to  be  asked  whether  autobiography 
in  some  respects  is  not  more  desirable  and  preferable 
than  information  derived  from  extraneous  sources  ? 
"  Those  relations,"  says  Johnson,  "  are  commonly  the 
most  valuable,  in  which  the  writer  tells  his  own  story." 
With  regard  to  a  man's  talents  and  productions,  and 
also  those  attributes  and  habits,  the  result  and  fame  of 
which  form  so  much  of  what  we  mean  by  character, 
the  pen  of  another  may  be  better  than  his  own.  But 
yet,  respecting  many  things  of  an  interesting  nature, 
he  himself  must  be  the  best  witness,  the  best  judge, 
and  the  best  recorder.  By  a  competent  writer,  the 
public  life  of  an  individual  is  easily  supplied ;  but 
people  are  seldom  satisfied  without  some  insight  into 
his  more  private  retreats  and  recesses.  They  would 
know  not  only  what  he  did,  but  why  he  did  it.  They 
would  know,  not  only  the  direction  in  which  he 
moved,  but  whether  he  was  led  into  it  by  design  or 
accident,  and  what  retarded  or  aided  his  progress. 
They  would  not  only  contemplate  his  elevation,  but 
learn  by  what  degrees  and  efforts  and  instrumentalities 
he  reached  it ;  for  there  is  nothing  really  unaccounta- 
ble in  such  cases.  The  thing  wondered  at  is,  under 
Providence,  the  natural  consequence  of  a  series  of 
events  and  circumstances.  What  appears  a  kind  of 
impassable  depth  and  distance  between  the  early  and 
later  condition  of  the  man  is  owing  to  an  ignorance  of 
the  intermediate  connexions  in  tlie  passage.  We  see 
him  on  the  opposite  sides,  but  have  not  accompanied 


16  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

liim  in  the  transition  from  the  one  to  the  other ;  but 
he  himself  knows  that  he  passed,  not  by  a  miracle,  but 
bj  means ;  that  he  was  not  supernaturally  borne 
across,  but  gained  his  position  by  many  alternations 
of  hope  and  fear ;  by  many  a  weary  step,  and  by  many 
a  painful  struggle. 

But  how  is  a  man's  more  personal  and  interior  ex- 
perience, his  original  disadvantages  or  helps;  what 
chilled  his  ardor  or  animated  his  diligence ;  what  in 
his  intellectual,  or  sj^iritual,  or  ofB.cial  career  was  found 
to  be  his  bane  or  his  benefit ;  with  many  other  inter- 
esting and  useful  things ; — how  is  all  this  to  be  known, 
unless  from  the  communications  of  the  individual 
himself? 

A  diary  will  not  fully  subserve  the  purpose.  A 
diary  regards  chiefly  a  man's  intercourse  with  God ; 
and  the  variations  of  his  religious  views  and  feelings 
there  recorded  are  designed  to  promote  self-acquaint- 
ance, and  not  to  divulge  himself  to  others.  Such  a 
work  is  devotional  rather  than  narratory,  and  wiU 
abound  with  much  that  is  not  projoer  for  pubhc  ob- 
servation. 

Fourthly.  I  had  to  inquire  whether,  in  such  an  un- 
dertaking, I  could  trust  my  own  views  and  motives  ? 
While  I  knew  how  hard  it  was  to  be  honest  where 
self  is  concerned,  and  that  nothing  is  perfectly  pure 
that  comes  from  man ;  yet  I  felt  that  I  ought  to  be 
conscious  of  being  so  far  actuated  by  a  principle  of 
truth,  rectitude,  and  usefulness,  as  to  be  able  to  com- 
mend my  work  unto  the  Lord ;  and  not  only  to  im- 
plore his  assistance  in  the  performance,  but  also  to 
hope  for  his  blessing  in  the  perusal  of  it. 

These  considerations  I  have  endeavored  fairly  to  ex- 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM   JAY.  17 

amine;  and  thougli  I  do  not  saj  tliat  I  am  perfectly 
satisfied  as  to  the  conclusion,  yet  there  is  nothing  in 
it  that,  upon  the  whole,  constrains  me  to  decline  at- 
tempting the  engagement  you  urge  upon  me.  Yet  I 
fear  I  shall  find  the  execution  ^o  easy  enterprise. 
Some  difficulty  will  be  found  in  the  selection.  When 
a  man  looks  back  upon  a  life  of  seventy-four  years, 
he  sees  a  very  extensive  field  ;  and  what  he  is  to  de- 
tach for  the  notice  of  others  asks  for  tlie  exercise  of 
judgment  and  prudence.  Much  mai/  be,  and  much 
ought  to  be,  passed  over.  Some  love  to  eke  out  pages 
and  volumes  ;  but  a  brief  account  will  generally  com- 
prise all  that  ordinary  biography  requires. 

Two  things  should  not  be  forgotten  in  the  choice  of 
articles.  1st.  The  influence  they  are  likely  to  have  on 
the  reader  in  a  way  of  innocent  gratification,  instruc- 
tion, or  improvement.  And,  2dly.  Their  appropri- 
ateness to  the  character  of  the  individual. 

The  insertions,  therefore,  should  serve  directly  or 
indirectly  to  develop  him — for  it  is  of  him — ^of  his  con- 
dition— of  his  changes — of  his  opinions,  attachments, 
and  doings,  the  reader  wants  to  be  informed. 

But  besides  the  selection  of  materials  themselves, 
there  must  be  some  arrangement ;  and  this  also  has  oc- 
casioned thought ;  for  here  various  modes  have  been 
employed,  with  perhaps  equal  propriety  and  success. 
You  have  neither  recommended,  nor  suggested,  any 
particular  method.  I  shall  therefore  throw  my  narra- 
tive and  reflections  into  a  series  of  Letters  to  your- 
selves. In  this  I  shall  conform  to  the  example  of  my 
honored  tutor,  Cornelius  Winter,  in  the  life  of  him 
which  I  have  published,  and  which  has  met  with  so 
much  success.     This  mode  will  best  suit  a  man  of 


18        AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE   REV.  WILLIAM  JAY, 

years  and  engagements,  as  it  will  allow  of  freedom  in 
the  expression,  enlargement  or  contraction  in  the  state- 
ments, and  easy  gi'adualness  (not  much  affected  by 
breaks  and  pauses)  in  the  progress.  The  number  of 
Letters  the  series  will  contain,  must  depend  on  the  un- 
certainties of  circumstances.  But  whether  I  shall  live 
and  be  able  to  accomplish  the  design  wholly  or  par- 
tially, rests  with  Him  in  "  whose  hand  our  breath  is, 
and  whose  are  all  our  ways."  "  But  this  will  we  do  if 
God  permit." 

N.  B.  I  had  no  sooner  written  the  above  than  I  was 
favored  with  a  call  from  my  esteemed  brother,  the 
Ecv.  John  Angell  James,  of  Birmingham.  Upon 
being  informed  of  my  purpose,  he  not  ouly  very  much 
approved  of  it,  and  zealously  urged  its  execution,  but 
begged  that  I  would  not  limit  myself,  by  aiming  at  too 
much  conciseness ;  especially  as  to  any  parts  and  cir- 
cumstances that  would  bear  usefully  upon  the  rising 
ministry  (for  that  ministry  whose  improvement  and 
excellency  he  has  shown  much  anxiety).  Hence  some 
things  which  otherwise  would  not  have  been  intro- 
duced, must  plead  this  excitement  and  sanction. 


LETTER    II. 


ms    PARENTAGE. — REMARKS    ON    PEDIGREES    AND    ANCESTORS.- - 
ANECDOTES. — EFFECTS  OF  SCENERY  TTPON  HIM 

My  deae  Children", — ^In  commencing  this  Letter  T 
have  one  advantage  which  saves  me  time  and  trouble. 
I  have  not  to  trace  a  long  and  proud  lineage.  If  any 
great  and  illustrious  individuals  have  been  found 
among  my  ancestors,  they  have  not  been  ascertained, 
in  my  family,  in  my  own  time.*  But  were  I  mean 
enough  to  feel  any  mortification  here,  I  could  not  con- 
sole myself.  Lord  Bacon  has  remarked  that  they  who 
derive  their  worth  from  their  ancestors  resemble  "po- 
tatoes, the  most  valuable   part  of   which    is    under 

*  Through  the  courtesy  of  the  Rev.  J.  Ward,  Rector  of  Wath, 
near  Ripon,  we  have  been  favored  Tvith  a  considerable  list  of  per- 
sons of  the  name  of  Jay,  baptized,  married,  and  buried  at  Milton 
Listebon,  in  "Wilts.  There  is  one  marriage  that  may  have  been  that 
of  Mr.  Jay's  father  and  mother :  "  lYol,  May  13,  "William  Jay  and 
Sarah  Smith ;"  but  we  have  no  means  of  deciding  the  question. 
Mr.  Jay  has  said  very  little  of  his  parents.  A  Rev.  Charles  Jay  -was 
vicar  of  that  parish  in  the  year  1733,  and  died  there  1761. 

Mr.  "Waylen,  of  Etchilhampton,  also  has  furnished  many  notices 
of  the  family  of  Jay  in  "Wiltshire,  extending  back  for  nearly  three 
centuries ;  but  from  -which  of  them  Mr.  Jay  of  Bath  desceuded,  or 
whether  from  any  of  them,  all  authorities  are  silent,  and  probably 
William  Jay  was  as  ignorant  as  ourselves. 


20  AUTOBTOaUAPIIY   OF 

ground."  When  one  ot  Lord  Timrlow's  friends  was 
endeavoring  to  make  out  lii.s  relationsliip  to  tlic  secre- 
tary, Cromwell,  whose  family  had  been  settled  in  the 
county  adjoining  Suffolk,  he  replied,  "  Sir,  there  were 
two  Crom wells  in  that  part  of  the  country — Thurlow 
the  Secretary,  and  Thurlow  the  Carrier ;  I  am  de- 
scended from  tlic  latter."  We  have  read  of  a  man 
who,  in  prospect  of  his  promption,  being  asked  con- 
cerning his  pedigree,  answered  that  "  he  was  not  par- 
ticularly sure,  but  had  been  credibly  informed  that  he 
had  three  brothers  in  the  ark ;" — but  one  of  our  most 
distinguished  poets  of  obscure  origin  surpasses  this,  in 
his  epitaph : — 

"  Princes  and  heralds,  by  your  leave, 
Here  lie  the  bones  of  Matthew  Prior; 
The  son  of  Adam  and  of  Eve, 
Can  Nassau  or  Bourbon  go  higher  ?" 

My  parents  were  very  respectable,  that  is,  they  were 
'poor  and  religious :  religious,  not  precisely  according  to 
the  theory  and  discipline  of  a  particular  party  (for  as 
yet  there  wns  in  the  place  no  society  formed  on  pro- 
fessedly evangelical  principles,  nor  had  the  preaching 
of  such  doctrines  as  yet  been  heard  there)  ;  but  really 
and  practically  religious;  exemplifying  the  morality 
of  the  gospel  under  the  influence  of  piety,  or  the  fear 
and  love  of  God ;  poor,  not  abjectly  and  dependently, 
but  able  by  frugality  and  diligence  to  support  them- 
selves, and  to  bring  up  a  family  in  the  decencies  and 
even  comforts  of  village  life. 

My  fither  was  the  son  of  a  small  farmer,  but  he 
himself  was  a  mechanic,  working  at  the  business  of  a 
stone-cutter  and  mason.     There  was  nothing  remarka- 


THE   EEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  21 

ble  ill  him  as  to  talent,  or  in  my  dear  mc  tlier.  They 
were  both,  persons  of  slender  education,  but  of  good 
solid  understanding,  and  of  much,  common  sense ;  up- 
right, conscientious,  kind,  tender,  charitable  according 
to  their  means ;  and  much  beloved  and  esteemed  in  all 
the  neighborhood.  I  was  their  fourth  and  only  male 
child ;  but  there  were  four  daughters,  all  of  whom  are 
"gone  the  way  of  all  the  earth."  Three  of  them 
married  in  humble  life,  but  to  husbands  sober,- indus- 
trious, and  much  more  affectionate  and  attentive  to 
their  wives  than  many  I  have  seen  in  superior  condi- 
tions, and  among  those  who  are  often  called  (for  what 
reason  God  only  knows)  "  the  better  sort  of  peopled 
The  other,  and  who  had  a  considerable  share  of  wit 
and  cleverness,  was  united  to  a  man  of  property ;  and 
who  possessed  more  capacity  and  knowledge  than  per- 
haps half  the  whole  population  of  the  place  beside. 

The  presbyterian  minister  on  whom  we  attended 
was  a  Clarkean  Arian,  (but  he  never  dealt  much  in 
doctrine,)  a  very  dry  and  dull  preacher,  but  a  lovely 
character,  and  exceedingly  tender-hearted,  kind,  and 
generous ;  denying  himself  almost  to  a  fault,  that  he 
might  have,  out  of  his  contracted  income,  to  give  to 
him  that  needeth ;  and  wherever  misery  was,  there 
was  he.  From  my  earliest  remembrance,  he  kindly 
and  gently  noticed  me  ;  and  when  I  was  able  to  read, 
he  presented  me  with  the  two  first  publications  I  ever 
called  my  own.  These  were  "Watts'  History  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testament,"  and  "Bunyan's  Pilgrim's 
Progress,"  and  never  shall  I  forget  my  feehngs  at  the 
receipt  of  them ;  for  books  (what  a  change  has  since 
taken  place !)  were  then  very  scarce  in  villages ,  at 
least  few  came  in  my  way.     The  sehooling  of  the  vil- 


22  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

lage  was  of  course  very  limited,  and  had  nothing  to 
awaken  or  expand  the  mind  beyond  the  common  ele- 
ments of  reading,  writing  and  vulgar  arithmetic.  In 
this  humble  education  I  shared  ;  but  I  can  say  nothing 
more  :  to  any  literary  or  intellectual  advantage  or  ex- 
citement I  was  a  stranger. 

It  is  perhaps  commonly  suj)posed  that  if  a  man  is 
destined  to  make  a  little  figure  in  the  world,  he  gives 
some  indication  of  it  in  childhood  and  even  in  infancy. 
Is  this  always  true  ?  or  is  it  true  generally  ?  It  is  said 
the  young  calf  and  the  young  lamb  begin  to  push  and 
to  butt  before  their  horns  appear.  Metaphors  alone 
jorove  nothing.  Our  Saviour  speaks  of  some  seeds, 
which  fell  on  superficial  soil,  and  forthwith  they 
sprang  up  hecause  they  had  no  deepness  of  earth ;  and 
the  larger  and  more  solid  and  durable  trees  are  slower 
in  their  growth  than  more  common  ones.  Thus  the 
oak  is  longer  in  its  rearing  and  maturing  than  the  pop- 
lar or  osier.  Doth  not  mind  both  act  and  show  itself 
according  to  particular  periods,  or  rather  occurrences, 
which  seize  and  press  and  excite  it? 

However  this  may  be,  to  compare  little  things  with 
greater,  I  know  both  from  report  and  experience,  that 
your  father  exhibited  nothing  like  this  early  preco- 
ciousness.  I  can  well  remember  with  what  pains  I 
acquired  reading  ;  auvl  my  oldest  sister  observed,  when 
questioned  concerning  my  first  years,  "  We  thought 
he  never  would  have  learned."  But  when  the  diffi- 
culty by  which  I  was  depressed,  and  for  which  I  was 
often  reproached,  was  overcome,  and  I  felt  encourage- 
inent  and  praise,  I  soon  made  some  progress,  and  soon 
wished  to  make  more  ;  but  what  opportunities  or  helps 
did  my  situation  afford  ?     It  may  be  asked  if  I  re- 


THE   EEY.    WILLIAM  JAY.  23 

member  wliether  at  an  early  season  I  had  any  work- 
ings of  mind  not  growing  naturally  out  of  my  con- 
dition, but  having  a  seeming  reference  to  my  subse- 
quent rising  in  life  ?  I  answer,  I  had,  and  not  a  few ; 
though  it  would  not  be  easy  to  describe  them.  But  I 
always  felt  a  strange  love  of  withdrawing  myself  from 
my  playmates  and  roving  alone ;  and  while  pausing 
among  the  scenes  of  nature,  of  surrendering  myself 
to  musings  which  carried  me  away,  and  often  left  me 
lost,  in  doing  or  enjoying  something  indistinctly  dif- 
ferent from  what  I  had  ever  actually  witnessed.  Our 
dwelling,  which  was  my  father's  own  property,  con- 
sisting of  a  double  tenement,  too  large  for  a  cottage, 
had  attached  to  it  a  proportionate  garden  and  orchard. 
It  was  situated  about  an  equal  distance  from  Lord 
Arundel's,  of  Warder  Castle ;  Pithouse,  the  seat  of 
Mr,  Bennet ;  and  Fonthill,  then  the  splendid  mansion 
of  Mr,  Beckford,  The  village  in  which  it  stood  was 
wide  and  varied,  and  abounded  with  lovely  and  pic- 
turesque aspects — 

"  And  the  sweet  interchange  of  hill  and  vale  and  -wood  and  lawn." 

It  is  impossible  to  express  the  intense  pleasure  I  felt 
from  a  child,  in  the  survey  of  the  rural  scenery,  while 
standing  on  the  brow  of  an  eminence,  or  seated  upon 
the  upraised  root  of  a  branching  tree,  or  walking 
through  a  waving  field  of  corn,  or  gazing  on  a  clear 
brook  with  fish  and  reeds  and  rushes.  How  vividly 
ai-e  some  of  these  spots  impressed  upon  my  memory 
still ;  and  how  recoverable,  at  this  distance  of  time, 
are  some  of  the  rude  reflections  so  early  associated 
with  them ! 


24        AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF  THE  llEV.  WILLIAM  JAY. 

Yet  what  probability  was  there  that  such  a  change 
as  I  have  experienced  would  ever  take  place  ?  No 
elibrt,  no  purpose  of  my  own,  or  of  my  relatives,  had 
the  least  concern  in  it.  It  resulted  purely  and  entirely 
from  the  providence  of  God ;  and  as  it  was  not  only 
so  unlikely  in  itself,  but  so  eventful,  and  such  conse- 
quences hinged  upon  it,  I  will  endeavor  to  state  the 
case  as  it  was,  fairly  and  simply,  without  straining  to 
magnify  the  remarkable  into  supernatural,  or  the  ex- 
traordinary into  miraculous.  But  this  must  be  the 
subject  of  the  next  Letter.     In  the  meantime, 

I  am,  &c. 


LETTER   III. 


QIS    EARLY     LIFE. METHODISM    AT     TISBXJRY. CONVERSION. MRS. 

TURNER   TA-R-KS    NOTICE    OF  HIM. — WORKS  AT    FONTUILL  ABBEY. 

ME.  BECKFORD. — (eDITOr's  NOTICES  OF  ME.  BECKFOED.) 

My  dear  Children", — Mr.  Thomas  Turner,  tlie 
memoir  of  wliose  eminently  pious  wife  has  been  long 
before  the  public,  and  a  second  edition  of  which  was 
published  by  Dr.  Bogue,  left  Tisbury  while  young. 
He  was  then  possessed  of  no  substance  ;  but  he  grad- 
ually succeeded  in  business  at  Trowbridge,  and  gained 
more  than  a  competency.  Being  a  truly  religious 
man,  he  wished  to  do  something  to  evince  his  grati- 
tude to  God,  and  promote  the  welfare  of  his  fellow- 
men.  He  therefore  determined  to  introduce  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  into  his  native  village,  and,  if  possi- 
ble, to  awaken  attention  to  the  one  thing  needful  in 
those  he- had  left  behind  him  in  ignorance  and  care- 
lessness. He  took  a  house  and  licensed  it,  and  opened 
it  for  preaching.  After  some  length  of  time,  he  built 
also  a  neat  chapel  entirely  at  his  own  expense  ;  and  a 
very  considerable  congregation  and  church  were  raised 
there,  which  have  continued  ever  since  ;  and  recently 
a  new  commodious  and  beautiful  chapel  has  been  erect- 
ed, which  I  had  the  pleasure  of  opening,  and  at  the 

2 


26  AUTOBIOGRAPnY   OF 

dedicntion  of  wliich  more  than  £100  was  collected, 
after  more  than  £700  had  been  subscribed  among  the 
people  themselves. 

Some  persons  love  to  talk  of  their  being  born  again, 
and  of  their  being  made  new  creatures,  with  a  kind 
of  physical  certainty  and  exactness ;  and  refer  to  their 
conversions  not  as  the  real  commencement  of  a  work 
which  is  to  continue  increasing  through  life,  but  as 
something  which  may  be  viewed  as  a  distinct  and 
unique  experience,  immediately  jjroduced,  originated, 
and  finished  at  once ;  and  perfectly  determined  as  to 
its  time  and  place  and  mode  of  accomplishment;  but 
I  hope  this  is  not  necessary,  for  I  have  no  such  narra- 
tive or  register  to  afford.  A  distinction  is  not  always 
made  between  depraved  nature  and  actual  transgress- 
ion. All  are  sinners,  and  all  have  come  short  of  the 
glory  of  God  ;  but  all  are  not  profligate,  nor  in  this 
sense  do  all  speak  of  themselves,  as  if  they  had  been 
the  chief  of  sinners.  Eestraint  from  evil  is  a  mercy, 
as  well  as  sanctification  and  good  works.  I  cannot 
speak  as  some  do  of  going  gi'eat  lengths  in  iniquity, 
and  thereby  rendering  a  work  of  grace  more  sure  and 
more  divine.  I  bless  God  I  was  from  my  childhood 
free  from  immoralities.  I  remember,  indeed,  one  act 
of  gross  transgression  (it  pains  me  now  in  review) ;  it 
was  the  uttering  of  a  known  and  repeated  falsehood, 
accomjianied  with  an  oath,  to  carry  a  point,  as  I  was 
intensely  at  play.  For  this  my  conscience  so  smote 
me  that  I  was  soon  constrained  to  withdraw  from  my 
companions,  and  went  home,  and  retired  to  implore 
forgiveness.  But,  though  free  from  vice,  I  now  began 
to  see  and  feel  deficiences  with  regard  to  duty,  and  to 
be  dissatisfied  with  the  state  of  my  heart  towards  God. 


THE  EEV.   WILLIAM   JAY.  27 

I  also  felt  mj  need  of  something  more  than  was  held 
forth  by  the  preaching  I  heard.  Without  knowing 
the  nature  of  this  good,  I  was  just  in  the  condition 
of  mind  that  would  welcome  and  relish  the  truth  com- 
monly called  evangelical.  Our  minister,  too,  from 
some  things  which  I  had  said  (for  he  always  allowed 
and  encouraged  me  to  speak  freely),  strangely  put  into 
my  hands  a  letter,  which  he  said  had  been  written  to  a 
father  by  a  young  man  who  had  (these  were  his  own 
Avords)  become  a  Methodist,  and  wished  to  convert  him, 
I  had  never  heard  of  the  name  before ;  but  when,  soon 
after,  persons  of  this  description  were  reported  to  be 
coming  to  preach  in  the  village,  my  curiosity  was  the 
more  excited ;  and,  from  the  instruction  and  impress- 
ion of  the  letter  (which  was  a  very  striking  one),  I 
longed  to  hear  them,  conceiving  and  hoping  it  would 
relieve  my  concern  of  mind. 

The  private  dwelling  which  Mr.  Turner  had  pur- 
chased and  licensed  was  first  used  for  worship  on  the 
Saturday  evening  I  attended.  The  singing,  the  ex- 
temporaneousness  of  the  address,  and  the  apparent  af- 
fection and  earnestness  of  the  speaker,  peculiarly  af- 
fected me  ;  and  what  he  said  of  "  the  faithful  saying, 
and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Jesus  Christ  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners,"  was  like  rain  upon  the 
mown  grass,  or  cold  water  to  a  thirsty  soul.  I  scarcely 
slept  that  night  for  weeping,  and  for  joy  ;  and  as  the 
preaching  was  to  be  renewed  the  next  morning  at 
seven  o'clock  (not  to  interfere  with  the  service  of  the 
Estabhshed  Church),  I  happened  to  be  the  first  that 
came.  Mrs.  Turner,  who  had  come  from  Trowbridge 
to  superintend  things  for  the  time,  opened  the  door 
herself,  and,  taking  me  by  the  hand,  benignly  asked, 


2b  AUTOBIOGKAI'HY   OP 

"  Are  you  hungering  for  the  bread  of  life  ?"  She 
continued  talking  to  me  most  winningly  for  some 
minutes,  till  others  began  to  enter.  But  this  seem- 
ingly casual  and  trifling  circumstance  was  important 
in  the  result ;  for  from  that  day  forward  she  particu- 
larly noticed  me ;  and,  as  I  had  been  recently  appren- 
ticed, and  was  returning  from  my  work,  which  was 
then  at  Fonthill  House,  in  the  evening,  she  often  met 
me,  and  conversed  with  me  till  I  reached  home  ;  and 
her  information  and  addresses  were  more  useful  than 
many  of  the  sermons  I  heard,  as  she  adapted  herself 
to  the  state  she  found  I  was  in,  and  to  the  present  kind 
of  knowledge  which  I  required. 

[Reluctant  as  the  Editors  are  to  divert  the  reader's 
attention  for  a  single  moment  from  Mr.  Jay's  interest- 
ing narrative,  they  yet  judge  that  this  is  the  most 
suitable  place  for  introducing  a  few  facts  which  they 
feel  assured  will  add  interest  to  the  narrative,  and  in- 
crease the  gratification  of  the  reader.  The  mention  of 
Fonthill  House  a  page  or  two  before,  and  of  Mr.  Beck- 
ford,  its  accomplished  proprietor  and  builder,  is  fol- 
lowed by  the  statement,  that,  when  the  lad  William 
Jay  was  first  noticed  by  Mrs.  Turner,  he  was  not  only 
Avorking  as  an  apprentice  to  his  father,  but  both  father 
and  son  were  actually  working  at  the  erection  of  Font- 
hill house ;  and  further,  that  it  was  on  his  return, 
evening  after  evening,  from  that  place,  that  Mrs.  Turner 
met  him,  and  talked  with  him  in  that  instructive  way 
recorded  by  himself  in  this  letter.  We  suppose  Wil- 
liam Jay  to  have  been  then  little  more  than  fourteen 
years  of  age,  and  but  recently  apprenticed  to  learn  the 
art  of  stone-masonry.  It  was  just  at  this  time  that 
Mr.  Winter  came  to  preach  at  Tisbury,  and  was  struck 


THE  REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  29 

■with  the  comely  countenance  of  the  lad.     About  a 

year  after,  when   Mr.  W came  again  to  preach 

at  Tisbury  on  a  week-day  evening,  there  was  William 
Jay  in  the  chapel,  just  as  he  had  left  his  work  at 
Fonthill  Abbey,  listening  to  the  good  Cornelius  Win- 
ter.     After  that   sermon  he  was  introduced  to  Mr. 

W for  the  first  time,  and,  no  doubt,  wondered 

what  the  minister  could  want  with  him.  Let  the 
reader  realize  this  scene,  and  connect  with  it  the  fact 
that  he  had  been  that  day  working  at  the  mansion  of 
a  gentleman  who  afterwards,  most  probably  with  an 
utter  unconsciousness  that  Mr.  Jay  had  ever  been  in 
his  employment,  passed  upon  him  as  just  and  elegant 
an  eulogy  as  perhaps  ever  was  passed  upon  him ;  and 
frankly  recorded  the  fact  that  he  had  been  himself  a 
learner  from  the  eloquent  piety  and  wisdom  of  William 
Jay.  In  proof  of  this  we  present  the  following  inter- 
esting statement,  which  appeared  in  the  Bath  Herald 
immediately  after  Mr.  Beckford's  decease  : — 

"  The  Christian  Contemplated  had  been  perused  with 
much  interest  by  Mr.  Beckford,  as  appeared  from  his 
numerous  notes,  written  on  its  leaves ;  and  from  which 
the  following  is  extracted :  '  This  man's  mind  is  no 
petty  reservoir  supplied  him  by  laborious  pumpings — 
it  is  a  clear,  transparent  spring,  flowing  so  freely  as  to 
impress  the  idea  of  its  being  inexhaustible.  In  many 
of  these  pages  the  stream  of  eloquence  is  so  full,  so 
rapid,  that  we  are  fairly  borne  down  and  laid  prostrate 
at  the  feet  of  the  preacher,  whose  arguments  in  these 
moments  appear  as  if  they  could  not  be  controverted, 
tod  we  must  yield  to  them.  The  voice  which  calls  us 
to  look  into  ourselves,  and  prepare  for  judgment,  is  too 
piercing,  too  powerful  to  be  resisted;  and  we  attempt, 


80  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

for  worldly,  sensual  considerations,  to  shut  our  cars  in 
vain.' 

"  Beckford  told  mc  that  Jay  of  Bath,  whom  he  had 
gone  to  hear  incog.,  was  one  of  the  finest  preachers  he 
had  ever  heard,  and  shoAved  mc  his  sermons ;  and, 
curious  enough,  he  had  a  correspondence  with  Jay 
about  the  bad  poctrj^,  both  in  the  church  and  among 
the  dissenters,  as  exhibited  in  the  hymns  and  psalm  ver- 
sions which  they  used." — Closing  Scenes.  Second  Series. 
By  Eev.  E.  Neale. 

It  will  not  be  deemed  irrelevant  by  those  readers  who 
have  no  knowledge  of  Mr.  Beckford,  if  we  state  a  few 
facts  concerning  him  and  the  famous  abbey  which 
William  Jay  and  his  father  helped  to  build. 

William  Beckford,  Esq.,  was  the  proprietor,  de- 
signer, and  builder  of  the  splendid  Fonthill  Abbey, 
which  cost  in  its  erection  £273,000,  and  the  pictures, 
library,  and  furniture  of  which  were  valued  at  more 
than  a  million.  He  was  the  son  of  the  famous  Beck- 
ford, twice  Lord  Mayor  of  London,  who  reproved  Eang 
George  the  Third  on  his  throne,  when  he  insulted  a 
deputation  of  the  citizens.  Mr.  Beckford,  the  son  who 
was  placed,  at  his  father's  death,  under  the  care  of  the 
first  Earl  of  Chatham,  became  a  most  accomplished 
man  and  distinguished  author.  His  gorgeous  tale,  en- 
titled "  Vathek,"  was  written  in  French  when  he  was 
barely  twenty-two,  at  one  sitting  of  three  days  and  tivo 
nights.  Byron  said  of  it,  that  "even  Kasselas  must 
bow  before  it."  He  wrote  also  "Letters  on  Spain  and 
Italy."  "  Observations  on  Celebrated  Painters,"  &c., 
&c.  He  was  universally  esteemed  a  man  of  exquisite 
taste  and  keen  discernment.  His  splendid  fortune  was 
8  ent  in  the  gratification  of  his  taste  for  the  fine  arts 


THE  EEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  31 

and  literature.  Over  his  mantel-piece,  in  his  dining 
parlor,  was  a  picture  of  St.  Catlierine,  by  Eaffaelle, 
which  cost  him  £3,000.  One  who  knew  him  well 
says,  "  I  had  many  conversations  with  him  upon  the 
subject  of  religion ;  for  he  was  rather  fond  of  contro- 
versy. I  should  say  he  was  an  orthodox  Catholic  ; 
but,  like  many,  professed  a  faith  he  did  not  prac- 
tice." 

He  was  famous  for  a  most  sumptuous  entertainment 
which  he  gave  to  Admiral  Lord  Nelson.  But  though 
he  was  accounted  in  his  day  the  richest  commoner  in 
England,  yet  he  sustained,  long  before  his  death,  im- 
mense losses  of  property,  and  the  Abbey  was  sold  to 
Mr.  Farquhar  for  £330,000.  The  sale  of  its  contents 
created  an  excitement  throughout  the  nation,  and  dur- 
ing its  continuance  of  thirty -three  days,  such  was  the 
influx  of  visitors  that  not  a  lodging  was  to  be  had  for 
many  miles  round.  It  is  recorded  that  between  seven 
and  eight  thousand  catalogues  were  sold  at  a  guinea 
each. 

After  this  calamity  Mr.  Beckford  retired  to  Bath, 
where  he  ended  his  days  at  very  nearly  the  same  age 
as  Mr.  Jay,  and  where,  probably,  he  availed-  himself 
of  the  opportunity  of  hearing  him  preach,  and  of  car- 
rying on  the  correspondence  referred  to  in  the  previous 
extract.  Such  a  correspondence  is  not  unlikely,  for 
Beckford  was  a  proficient  both  in  poetry  and  music. 
But  we  have  found  no  allusion  to  this  correspondence, 
and  no  trace  of  it,  among  Mr.  Jay's  papers. 

To  the  fact  of  Mr.  Jay's  having  been  employed,  ap- 
parently for  more  than  a  year,  at  Fonthill  Abbey,  we 
have  his  own  testimony,  yet  he  makes  no  allusion  to 
any  intercourse  or  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Beckford, 


32  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

noT  docs  he  give  any  intimation  that  Mr.  Beckford 
knew  of  the  fact  of  his  having  been  employed  at  the 
Abbey.  There  appears  to  have  been  no  mutual  recog- 
nition, although  in  their  later  years  they  became  near 
neighbors.] 

And  here  occurred,  Avhat  is  mentioned  without  a 
name,  in  the  life  of  Mrs.  Turner,  concerning  "  a  lad 
who,  after  hearing  a  discourse  enforcing  family  wor- 
ship, besought  his  father  on  his  return  home  to  under- 
take it ;  and  upon  his  refusing,  on  the  ground  of  in- 
ability, offered  to  perform  it  himself.  The  offer  was 
accepted  with  tears,  and  he  became  a  kind  of  domestic 
chaplain."  This  lad  was  the  writer.  A  little  while 
after  this,  he  was  urged  to  pray  at  the  private  meeting 
in  the  chapel,  which  he  did  with  no  little  backward- 
ness, and  also  with  no  little  difficulty.  Connected  with 
this,  he  cannot  but  mention  a  circumstance,  as  it  affect- 
ed him  at  the  time  with  a  shock  of  amazement,  and 
has  since  aided  him  in  not  laying  an  imjDroper  stress 
on  the  figurative  language  of  Scripture ;  and  made 
him  careful  to  avoid  such  views  of  the  doctrines  of 
grace  as  should  exclude  any  from  hope  of  salvation. 
It  was  this  : — He  had  prayed  that  our  name  may  be 
written  in  the  Lamb's  hooh  of  life  ;  but  a  high-toned 
brother,  from  a  neighboring  congregation,  who  saw 
things  clearly,  took  him  aside,  and  rebuked  him  for  the 
impropriety  of  his  expression,  saying,  "  You  know 
that  book  was  filled  up  from  eternity  ;  and  if  our  names 
are  not  written  there,  they  never  can  be  now." 

Bless  God,  my  children,  that  from  your  infancy  you 
have  been  familiar  with  a  testimony  too  plain  to  be 
mistaken,  "The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say  come;  aud 
l^^t  him  that  heareth  say  come ;  and  let  him  thai  is 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  33 

atliirst  come ;  and  whosoever  will  let  him  take  of  tlie 
water  of  life  freely." 

I  shall  soon  resume  the  relation,  and  notice  another 
link  in  the  chain  of  occurrences  which  drew  me  from 
my  native  condition  to  set  my  feet  in  a  large  place. 

I  am,  &c. 
2* 


LETTER  IV. 


VISIT  OF  MR.  WINTER   TO   TISBURT. — INTRODUCTION   OF   MR.  JAY   TO 

MR.    WINTER. niS    ADMISSION    INTO    MR.    WINTEu's    ACADEMY  AT 

MARLBOROUGH. MR.  w's.  FAITK    FOR  PECUNIARY  SUPPORT. UIS 

STUDIES. VILLAGE  PREACUING. 

My  dear  Children, — For  several  years  there  was 
no  fixed  minister  at  Tisbury,  but  tlie  service  was  sup- 
plied by  preachers  of  various  denomination,  cacli  offici- 
ating for  one  sabbath  only,  but  always  coming  early 
enough  to  preach  also  on  the  Saturday  evening  ;  and 
these  men,  after  perhaps  a  long  and  trying  journey,  had 
not  only  to  preach  on  that  evening,  but  they  had  the 
following  day  to  preach  at  seven  in  the  morning,  and 
at  six  in  the  evening,  and  also  to  go  in  the  afternoon 
five  miles  to  preach  at  a  place  called  Ebsbourne  ;  yet 
had  they  nothing  to  remunerate  their  toilsome  but 
willing  efforts.  Among  these  supplies  came  the  ex- 
cellent Cornelius  Winter  from  Marlborough,  a  dis- 
tance of  near  forty  miles.  A  year  after  the  first  time, 
he  came  a  second ;  and  calling  on  Mrs,  Turner  at 
Trowbridge  on  his  way,  he  told  her  that  when  at  Tis- 
bury before,  he  had  been  particularly  struck  with  the 
aspect  of  a  lad  in  the  congregation  ;  that  the  impress- 
ion had  not  worn  off ;  and  that  he  felt  a  strong  desire 


THE  REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  85 

to  have  an  interview  with  liim  before  lie  should  return. 
Not  knowing  however  his  name,  he  could  not  inform 
her  who  was  the  youth  he  intended.  She  immediate- 
ly said  there  was  a  lad  in  the  place  she  also  much 
wished  him  to  see  and  converse  with,  mentioning  mj- 
name  that  he  might  inquire  for  me.  Accordingly  on 
the  Saturday  evening  he  desired  the  doorkeeper  to  ask 
for  Billy  Jay  to  come  to  him  in  the  parlor  after  the 
service.  Again  while  in  the  pulpit  he  was  equally  at- 
tracted with  the  appearance  of  the  lad  who  had  so  im- 
pressed him  before ;  and  was  eager  to  know  who  he 
was,  and  to  have  some  talk  with  him.  When  the 
preaching  was  over,  as  desired,  I  followed  him  into 
the  house,  and  was  presented  to  him.  I  was  in  my 
simple  village  dress.  He  then  perceived  that  the  youth 
Mrs.  Turner  had  mentioned,  and  the  youth  he  had  re- 
marked, were  the  same.  He  was  affected  even  to  tears, 
and  immediately  kneeled  down  and  prayed.  I  was 
of  course  amazed  at  the  strangeness  of  all  this ;  nor 
could  I  for  one  moment  conjecture  the  design.  He 
then  began  to  talk  with  me,  and  in  a  manner  which 
disarmed  me  of  fear,  concerning  several  things,  and 
especially  of  my  religious  views  and  feelings.  At  this 
interview  he  proceeded  no  further,  but  desired  me  to 
come  to  him  again  after  the  service  on  the  morrow 
evening.  I  again  waited  upon  him  ;  he  again  imme- 
diately prayed  for  a  few  moments ;  and  then  began  to 
inquire  whether  I  should  not  like,  and  did  not  long, 
to  communicate  to  others  what  I  felt  myself.  He  ob- 
served tnat  he  had  a  small  academy  of  young  men  for 
the  ministry  ;  and  kindly  invited  me  to  join  them,  if 
after  reflection  and  prayer  my  heart  should  be  inclined, 
and  my  parents  should  be  disposed  to  give  their  con- 


36  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

sent.  The  invitation  was  after  some  time  accepted  ; 
and  I  went  to  Marlborough,  where  for  some  years 
(they  were  far  too  few)  I  was  privileged  to  live  under 
the  tuition  and  care  of  that  incomparable  man  (Bishop 
Jebb  calls  him  in  a  Letter,  that  celestial  creature  Cornelius 
Wmter\  whose  life  I  have  published ;  written  indeed 
under  a  grateful  sense  of  my  obligations  to  him  ;  but 
yet  with  no  exaggerated  praise,  as  all  who  knew  him 
intimately  have  acknowledged. 

In  what  I  have  stated  I  cannot  be  mistaken ;  and 
there  are  some  still  living  (there  were  once  many)  to 
whom  Mr.  "Winter  related  the  transaction ;  for  he  was 
pleased  to  advert  to  it,  especially  after  the  encouraging 
success  of  his  undertaking.  Various  things  at  first 
seemed  unpromising  and  discouraging ;  my  deficiencies 
were  great.  Mr.  Winter  had  no  certain  provision  for 
my  support,  his  own  income  was  very  limited.  He 
had  therefore  largely  to  draw  upon  the  providence  of 
God ;  and  lie  was  enabled  to  trust  without  fear  or 
doubting.  But  he  always  affirmed  that  at  the  time  he 
hardly  knew  how  to  justify  the  step  he  took,  but  from 
impression  and  impulse  he  could  not  decline  it. 

I  leave  the  fiict,  having  stated  it  accuratelj^,  to  the 
candid  judgment  of  my  readers.  The  command  is, 
"  Let  thine  eyes  look  straight  on,  and  let  thine  eye- 
lids look  straight  before  thee^  "Ponder  the  path  of 
thy  feet,  and  let  all  thy  goings  be  established.^^  And  it 
is  well  for  a  man  to  feel  the  firmness  of  the  gTound  he 
treads  upon ;  and  be  able  to  give,  to  himself  at  least, 
a  reason  of  his  conduct  in  any  measure  of  moment. 
And  in  general,  no  one  laid  more  stress  on  prudence, 
and  did  more  honor  to  the  use  of  proper  means,  than 
the  mar  of  God  before  us.     Yet  he  always  had  this 


THE   EEV.    WILLIAM   JAY.  37 

sentiment,  (and  I  have  often  heard  him  avow  it,)  that 
there  may  be  cases  in  which  Providence  having  a  par- 
ticular end  in  view,  will  not,  by  some  excitement  or 
other,  allow  us  to  give  np,  or  pass  by  the  thing,  though 
for  the  present  we  walk  by  faith  rather  than  by  sight. 

Must  we  always  condemn  such  faith  as  presumption? 
Is  it  enthusiasm  to  suppose  that  there  may  be  cases  in 
which  the  secret  of  the  Lord  is-  peculiarly  with  them 
that  fear  him,  and  fear  him  above  many  ?  Is  there  any 
rule  that  admits  of  no  exception?  Might  not  that 
which  looks  like  a  deviation  from  a  principle^  be  found 
to  be  compatible  with  it,  if  we  had  knowledge  to  pene- 
trate further,  and  to  comprehend  more  ?  Let  us  not 
judge  one  another.  "  Happy  is  he  that  condemneth 
not  himself  in  the  thing  which  he  alloweth.  Let  every 
one  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind." 

It  will  naturally  be  supposed  that  no  one  could  have 
gone  to  an  academy  more  destitute  of  many  advantages 
than  myself.  But  I  had  a  thirst  for  knowledge,  and  a 
valuation  of  it,  which  would  ensure  application  when  op- 
portunities and  means  were  afforded.  Mr.  Winter's 
library  was  not  large,  but  was  large  to  me  ;  and  every 
moment  I  could  spare  from  my  studies  I  was  search- 
ing it  as  for  hidden  treasure.  It  may  seem  strange, 
but  the  authors  I  was  most  struck  with  then,  have  con- 
tinued to  be  my  favorites  ever  since,  and  my  views 
and  taste  with  regard  to  sermons  and  preachers  have 
no  otherwise  changed  than  as  they  have  been  enlarged 
and  improved. 

As  our  tutor  rated  learning  very  high,  I  was  obliged 
to  fag  hard.  At  first,  the  difficulties  were  not  only 
trying,  but  seemed  to  be  insuperable  ;  but  in  a  little 
Ume  I  felt  encouraged,  and  soon  found  pleasure  in 


38  AUTOBIOGRAPnY   OF 

cvei.  the  languages.  But  my  progress  was  not  con- 
siderable ;  and  the  literary  acquisitions  of  the  students 
were  not  a  httle  impeded  by  what  the  tutor  deemed 
justifiable.  The  state  of  the  country  then  was  very 
different  from  what  it  now  is,  as  to  an  evangelical  min- 
istry. The  real  laborers  were  few.  The  spiritual  con- 
dition of  many  of  the  villages  was  deplorable,  and  the 
people  were  perishingtfor  lack  of  knowledge.  No  one 
cared  for  their  souls.  (So  it  was  with  the  vicinages  all 
around  Marlborough,  and  their  spiritual  wants  if  not 
their  wishes  cried  aloud,  "  Come  over  and  help  us.") 
Mr.  Winter,  therefore,  obtained  and  licensed  various 
private  houses  to  preach  in,  and  not  only  went  as  often 
as  he  was  able  himself,  but  also  sent  his  young  men  to 
instruct  these  poor  creatures,  and  show  unto  them  the 
way  of  life.  In  the  milder  seasons  which  would  allow 
of  it,  we  often  addressed  large  numbers  out  of  doors ; 
and  many  a  clear  calm  evening  I  have  preached  down 
the  day,  on  the  comer  of  a  common,  or  upon  the  green 
turf  before  the  cottage  door. 

These  neighborhoods  were  supplied  sometimes 
weekly  and  sometimes  fortnightl}^,  both  on  the  week 
days  and  on  the  sabbaths.  We  always  on  the  sabbaths 
avoided,  if  possible,  the  church  hours  ;  and  on  week 
days  we  commonly  omitted  the  services  during  the 
hay  and  corn  harvest,  that  we  might  not  give  reason- 
able offence  to  the  farmers,  or  entice  the  peasants  away 
from  their  labor  before  their  usual  time.  I  would  also 
remark,  that  we  did  not  always  in  these  efforts  en- 
counter much  opposition ;  indeed,  I  remember  only  a 
few  instances  in  which  we  suffered  persecution  from 
violence  or  rudeness.  Tliis  was  much  owing  to  the 
students  being  always  recommended  to  avoid  needless 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  89 

provocation ;  our  tutor  enjoining  us  never  to  rail  at 
others,  or  to  say  the  gospel  was  not  heard  till  we  came ; 
but  leaving  the  hearers  to  learn  this  of  themselves  by- 
comparison  ;  and  also  to  speak  the  truth  in  love  ;  being 
always  affectionate  and  kind,  and  endeavoring  by  our 
manner  to  show  that  we  loved  those  we  addressed,  and 
were  only  concerned  for  their  welfare — not  anxious  to 
make  proselytes  but  converts.  Yet  Mr.  Winter's  horse 
was  cruelly  cropped  and  maimed  at  Adlington,  where 
he  had  preached  on  the  sabbath.  And  there  were 
places,  and  not  a  few  out  of  our  own  circuits,  where, 
though  there  was  little  or  nothing  exceptionable  in  the 
preaching,  the  carnal  mind  showed  itself  not  only  in 
secret  malignity,  but  in  open  outrage.  The  excite- 
ment of  the  ignorant  populace  was  commonly  pro- 
duced by  the  clergyman,  the  squire,  and  some  of  the 
stupid  and  intemperate  farmers. 

The  injuries  inflicted  on  the  preachers,  and  the 
houses  in  which  the  people  assembled,  might  have 
been  sooner  terminated,  had  the  sufferers  (as  they 
ought  to  have  done)  more  readily  availed  themselves 
of  their  legal  rights ;  but  they  often  yielded  to  unwill- 
ing concessions  and  apologies,  and  were  backward  to 
prosecute,  forgetting  that  the  trespasser  was  a  burglar ; 
and  that  though  we  are  to  forgive  private  and  personal 
offences,  it  is  otherwise  with  the  violation  of  the  laws 
of  the  land  established  for  the  public  safety  and  wel- 
fare. The  best  regard  we  can  pay  to  a  law  is  to  obey 
its  precepts  ourselves — the  next  is  to  see  its  penalty 
executed  upon  the  transgressors.  But  in  general,  the 
village  peasantry  (and  of  them  only  I  am  speaking) 
were  disposed,  if  left  to  themselves^  to  receive  and  hear 
us  ;  and  it  was  truly  interesting  and  delightful  to  see 


40      AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY. 

how,  after  a  little  curious  observation  and  surprise, 
they  seemed  to  drink  in  the  word,  as  rain  on  the  mown 
grass,  and  as  showers  that  water  the  earth.  The  testi- 
mony to  the  Messiah  was  "  the  poor  have  the  gospel 
preaclied  unto  them;"  and  what  right-minded  and 
right-hearted  being  is  there,  but  would  rejoice  that 
those  who  had  so  little  of  this  world's  goods  and  com- 
forts should  be  able  to  realize  the  "unsearchable  riches 
of  Christ,"  and  "  walk  in  the  comforts  of  the  Holy 
Ghost?"  lam,  &c. 


LETTER  V. 

HIS  FIEST  SERMON  AT  ABLINGTOX. — CONTEIBUTOES  TO  THE  EXPENSES 
OF  mS  EDUCATION,  JOHN  THORNTON,  ESQ.,  AND  OTHERS. (EDIT- 
ORS' BRIEF  NOTICE  OF  MR.  THORNTON.) — PROPOSAL  TO    GO  TO    THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  OXFORD. PREFERENCE  OF  THE  DOMESTIC  SYSTEM. 

LIST  OF  STUDENTS  IN  MARLBOROUGH   ACADEMY. 

My  deak  Childeen, — Great  attainments  and  quali- 
fications were  not  necessary  in  those  rude  villages 
where  we  made  our  first  attempts  to  minister.  But 
we  knew  enough  from  scripture  and  our  own  experi- 
ence to  "  show  unto  men  the  way  of  salvation,"  and 
to  say,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world." 

This  early  preaching  unquestionably  broke  in  much 
upon  our  studies ;  but  the  tutor  did  everything  in  his 
power,  by  rule  and  restriction,  to  lessen  the  injury, 
Avhile  there  were  some  rather  compensatory  advan- 
tages arising  from  it.  First^  Hereby  good  was  done  in 
the  conversion  of  sinners  in  many  instances,  some  of 
which  were  very  striking ;  and  what  is  the  gain  of  the 
whole  world  to  the  value  of  one  soul  ?  And,  secondly. 
The  usage  tended,  by  its  exercise,  and  by  the  prepara- 
tion for  it,  to  keep  the  minds  of  the  students  in  the 
things  of  God ;  and  it  is  well  known,  that  literary 
application,  and  the  free  mingling  of  young  men  to- 


42  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

gether,  do  not  much  befriend  spirituality  of  mind. 
Thirdly,  It  was-  of  great  advantage  to  the  young  pupil 
to  begin,  before  he  knew  too  much,  to  feel  certain 
diiricultic'S,  and  to  gain  confidence  and  facility  by  prac- 
tice. And  thus,  though  the  scholar  was  injured,  the 
preacher  was  benefited. 

In  the  review  of  the  case,  I  cannot  see  how  a  man 
of  God,  (whatever  his  zeal  for  learning  might  be,)  cir- 
cumstanced as  Mr.  Winter  was,  could  have  conscien- 
tiously acted  otherwise  than  he  did ;  and  much  as  I 
have  always  lamented,  in  addition  to  my  original  want 
of  education,  the  loss  of  some  literary  advantages,  I 
not  only  submit  to  what  appears  to  have  been  the  will 
of  God,  but  upon  the  whole  am  even  thankful  for  such 
a  course  of  things  as  I  passed  through.  God  has  not 
only  a  right  to  choose  for  us,  but  as  he  appoints  us 
our  stations  and  offices,  and  foresees  all  they  will  re- 
quire, he  arranges  our  trainings,  and  renders  all  our 
previous  circumstances  and  experience  preparatory  to 
our  fitness. 

"  Thy  method  cross'd  my  way,  and  young  desire, 
Which  did  to  academic  eminence  aspire. 
Fain  I'd  have  sat  in  such  a  nurse's  lap 
Where  I  might  long  has'e  had  a  sluggard's  nap, 
Or  have  been  dandled  on  her  i-everend  knees. 
And  known  by  honored  titles  and  degrees; 
And  there  have  spent  the  flower  of  my  days 
In  soaring  in  the  air  of  human  praise. 
*  *  «  »  « 

My  youthful  pride  and  folly  now  I  see, 
That  grudged  for  want  of  title  and  degl-ee." 

Some  may  be  surprised  at  the  earliness  of  my  preach- 
ing, for  I  began  a  few  months  after  I  w^as  placed  at 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  43 

Marlborougli.  Some,  also,  will  doubtless  censure  it, 
and  it  is  easy  for  tliem  to  say  mucli  in  support  of  their 
censure.  Yet  I  cannot  in  this  case  blame  myself.  It 
was  not  from  my  own  forwardness,  or  of  my  own 
clioosing ;  but  I  was  under  the  authority  and  direction 
of  another,  and  bound  to  obey,  even  if  I  could  not 
entirely  acquiesce.  How  sad  is  a  spirit  of  resistance, 
especially  in  students  for  the  ministry.  They  are  best 
prepared  to  rule  and  govern  who  have  previously 
learned  to  obey  and  serve  Why  do  not  tutors  expel 
for  insubordination,  as  well  as  for  error  or  vice  ? 

I  remember  a  circumstance  hardly  worth  relating. 
Soon  after  I  had  begun  my  early  career,  I  went  to 
supply  for  a  sabbath  at  Melksham.  At  this  time  was 
residing  there  an  old  gentleman  from  London,  a  very 
wise  man,  at  least  in  his  own  conceit.  I  called  upon 
him  on  the  Monday  morning.  He  received  me  rather 
uncourteously.  He  did  not,  indeed,  censure  my 
preaching,  but  rudoly  said,  he  had  no  notion  of  beard- 
less boys  being  employed  as  preachers.  "  Pray,  sir," 
said  I,  "does  not  Paul  say  to  Timothy,  'Let  no  man 
despise  thy  youth.'  And,  sir,  you  remind  me  of  what 
I  have  read  of  a  French  monarch,  who  had  received  a 
young  ambassador,  and  complaining,  said,  '  Your  mas- 
ter should  not  have  sent  me  a  beardless  stripling.' 
'  Sir,'  said  the  youthful  ambassador,  '  had  my  master 
supposed  you  wanted  a  beard,  he  would  have  sent  you 
a  goat.' " 

The  first  sermon  I  preached  was  at  Ablington — a  vil- 
lage near  Stonehenge.  The  text  was  1  Peter,  ii.  3 : 
"  If  so  be  ye  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious." 
The  division  was,  1.  The  Lord  is  gracious.  2.  The 
best  way  to  know  this  grace  is  by  tasting  it.     3.  Such 


44  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

knowledge  will  have  an  influence  over  the  possessor ; 
for  if  we  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious  it  will 
induce  us  to  love  him — it  will  draw  out  our  desires  af- 
ter more — it  will  make  us  anxious  to  bring  others  to 
partake  with  us,  saying,  "That  which  we  have  seen 
and  heard  declare  we  unto  you,  that  ye  also  may  have 
fellowship  with  us."  "  0  taste  and  see  that  the  Lord 
is  good,  blessed  is  the  man  tliat  trusteth  in  him." 

I  was  little  more  than  sixteen  when  I  began ;  and 
from  this  period  I  was  called  to  preach  with  no  little 
frequency  ;  and  before  I  was  of  age,  I  had  preached,  I 
believe,  near  a  thousand  sermons ;  for  in  all  our 
places,  then,  we  always  preached  three  times  on  the 
Sabbath  with  some  week-day  services. 

While  I  was  at  Marlborough,  and  after  I  had  begun 
preaching,  with  considerable  acceptance  and  success, 
it  was  inquired  by  some  of  those  who  had  contributed 
to  my  educational  support,  and  who  were  themselves 
moderate  Episcopalians,  whether  it  should  be  proposed 
to  me  to  go  to  the  University,  and  enter  the  church  ; 
but  Sir  Kichard  Hill  and  John  Thornton  the  philan- 
thropist* decided  against  it  saying,  "God  has  o^Dened 

*  In  an  article  furnished  by  Sir  James  Stephen  to  the  Edinburgh 
Review  for  July,  1844,  and  entitled  "Tlie  Clapham  Sect,"  is  the  fol- 
lowing allusion  to  the  subject  of  this  note :  "John  Thornton  was  a 
merchant  renowned  in  liis  generation  for  a  munificence  more  than 
princely,  and  consecrated  to  the  reverence  of  posterity  by  the  let- 
ters and  poetry  of  Cowper.  lie  was  one  of  those  rare  men  in  whom 
the  desire  to  relieve  distress  assumes  the  form  of  a  master  i)assion  ; 
and  if  faith  be  duo  to  tradition,  he  indulged  it  with  a  disdain,  al- 
ternately ludicrous  and  sublime,  of  the  good  advice  which  the  ec- 
centric have  to  undergo  from  the  judicious.  Conscious  of  no  aims 
but  such  as  may  invite  the  scrutiny  of  God  and  man,  he  pursued 
them  after  his  own  fearless  fashion,  yielding  to  every  honest  impulse 


THE  EEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  45 

tlie  young  man's  mouth,  and  for  years  to  come  we  dare 
not  shut  it,  while  there  are  so  many  immediate 
and  pressing  calls  for  exertion."  But  for  this  I  have 
reason  to  believe  Mr.  Winter  would  have  had  then  no 
objection  to  the  proposal.     As  it  was  not  made  to  my- 

relishing  a  frolic  when  it  fell  in  his  way,  choosing  his  associates  in 
scorn  of  mere  worldly  precepts,  and  worshipping  with  any  fellow 
Christian  whose  heart  beat  in  unison  with  his  own,  however  inhar- 
monious might  be  some  of  the  Articles  of  their  respective  creeds." 

Mr.  Thornton  was  an  Episcopalian,  and  an  intimate  friend  of  the 
Rev.  John  Newton,  of  St.  Mary  Woolnoth.  His  benevolence  was  as 
unsectarian  as  liis  general  habits,  and  "he  stood  ready,"  said  Mr. 
Cecil,  "  to  assist  a  beneficent  design  in  every  party,  but  would  be 
the  creature  of  none."  Hence,  in  conjunction  with  Mr.  Wewton,  and 
some  excellent  men  among  the  Dissenters,  he  was  mainly  instru- 
mental in  establishing,  and  for  awhile  supporting  a  Dissenting  Acad- 
emy at  Newport  Pagnell,  which  was  placed  under  the  tuition  of  the 
Rev.  William  Bull,  whose  son  the  Rev.  T.  P.  Bull,  and  grandson  the 
Rev.  Josiah  BiiU,  continued  till  its  recent  extinction  to  conduct  its 
studies ;  and  who  exhibited  the  very  rare  occurrence  of  men  of  three 
generations  being  pastors  of  the  same  church,  and  tutors  in  the 
same  college.  Mr.  Thornton,  as  intimated  above,  extended  his  pat- 
ronage and  pecuniary  assistance  to  the  institution  at  Marlborough, 
under  the  direction  of  the  Rev.  Cornelius  Winter,  and  thus  was 
brought  into  connection  with  Mr.  Jay,  towards  whose  support  he 
contributed  while  passing  through  his  academic  course. 

Mr.  Thornton  spent  myriads  of  pounds  in  the  purchase  of  livings 
for  Evangelical  preachers  ;  in  the  erection  and  enlargement  of  places 
of  worship,  both  in  the  Church  of  England  and  among  Dissenters ' 
in  sending  out  Bibles  and  religious  books  by  his  ships  to  various 
parts  of  the  world  ;  and  in  numerous  other  ways.  Nor  was  his  be- 
neficence confined  exclusively  to  religious  objects.  "Mr.  Newton," 
says  Mr.  Bull,  in  a  letter  I  lately  received  from  him,  "  told  my  fa- 
ther, that  while  he  (Mr.  N.)  was  at  Olney,  he  had  received  from  Mr. 
Thornton  more  than  £2,000  for  the  poor  of  that  place.  He  not  only," 
continues  Mr.  Bull,  "  gave  largely,  but  he  gave  wisely.  He  kept  a 
regular  account  (not  for  ostentation  or  the  gratification  of  vanity, 
but  for  method)  of  every  pound  he  gave  in  a  large  ledger  which  he 
once  showed  me.     I  was  then  a  boy,  and  I  remarked  on  every  page 


-iG  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   01?' 

self.  I  was  neither  required  to  consent  nor  refuse ; 
tlioiigh,  luad  I  been,  the  latter  I  am  persuaded  would 
have  been  the  result.  My  views  upon  some  sulyccts 
have  always  been^rm,  though  moderate^  and  allowing 
me  to  distinguish  between  preference  and  exclusion, 
and  leaving  every  one  to  follow  his  own  conviction.* 

One  of  the  advantages  of  a  smaller  academy  like 
that  at  Marlborough  was  its  assuming  a  kind  of  do- 
mestic character,  and  associating  us  more  with  the  tu- 
tor himself  A  freer  and  more  intimate  access  to  the 
tutor  is  sadly  wanting  in  some,  yea,  I  fear  in  all  our 
pubhc  institutions.     It  is  not  enough  for  the  student 

was  an  appropriate  text.  With  him,  his  givings  were  made  a  mat- 
ter of  business,  as  Cowper  sajs  in  an  Elegy  he  wrote  upon  him — 

"Thou  hadst  an  industry  in  doing  good. 
Restless  as  his  who  toils  and  sweats  for  food." 

Such  was  the  man  to  whom  Mr.  Jay  stood  indebted  in  part  for  his 
support  during  the  term  of  his  education.  The  good  Cliurchman, 
and  the  eminent  Nonconformist,  liave  met  in  that  world  where  these 
designations  have  no  place;  and  does  the  one  regret  that  lie  lifted 
his  hand  above  the  ecclesiastical  barriers  to  extend  his  benencciice 
to  him  that  stood  on  the  other  side  of  it?  Or  does  tlie  other  blush 
to  recollect  that  he  stood  indebted  to  the  Churchman  for  his  love 
and  liberality?  Such  mention  as  this  is  due  to  Mr.  Thornton  in  the 
present  volume. 

*  Referring  to  this  subject  many  years  after  in  a  letter,  he  says, — 
"  Our  preaching  is  too  commonly  of  a  cast  I  am  sorry  to  say  not 
the  most  calculated  to  do  good.  The  mathematics  and  classics  arc 
good  in  their  places  ;  but  unless  men  have  something  else,  they  will 
never  make  ministers  of  the  Now  Testament.  IIow  thankful  I  am 
that  I  did  not  when  a  student  (as  some  of  my  Episcopalian  support- 
ers recommended)  leave  Mr.  Winter's  to  go  to  Oxford,  where  I  must 
have  been  five  or  Six  years  before  I  could  be  ordained  ;  when  during 
tiiat  time  I  was  preaching  the  gospel  to  thousands,  and  saving  souls." 
Catli  July  14,  1846. 


THE   KEY.    WILLIAM  JAY.  47 

to  bear  his  tutor  regularly  and  formally  lecture. 
There  are  things  of  gi'eat  importance,  especially  to  his 
experience,  and  conduct,  and  character,  some  of  which 
are  too  delicate,  and  many  of  which  are  too  minute,  to 
be  here  brought  forward.  These  can  only  be  supplied 
properly  by  personal  intercourse  and  converse.  In 
this  respect  (oh  that  I  had  profited  more  by  it !)  I  had 
a  peculiar  privilege ;  for,  as  I  was  so  young,  Mr.  Win- 
ter felt  a  more  parental  relation  towards  me ;  and,  be- 
sides the  freedom  we  all  had  in  the  family,  he  never 
walked  out  in  the  morning  or  evening  but  I  was  al- 
ways by  his  side.  I  frequently  also  accompanied  him 
v.'hen  he  took  an  excursion  for  a  few  days  from  home. 
With  what  gratitude  do  I  look  back  to  these  hours, 
and  thank  Grod  for  my  distinguished  intimacy  with 
such  a  celestial  spirit,  and  how  often  has  it  led  me  to 
exclaim — 

"  Whea  one  that  holds  communioa  with  the  skies, 
Has  filled  his  urn  where  those  pure  waters  rise, 
And  once  more  mingles  with  iis  meaner  things, 
'Tis  even  as  if  an  angel  shook  his  wings ; 
Immortal  fragrance  fills  the  circuit  wide, 
That  tells  us  whence  his  treasures  are  supplied." 

I  am,  &c. 

[As  an  appendix  to  this  letter,  we  should  have  been 
happy  to  supply  notices  of  some  of  those  who  were 
in  the  Marlborough  Academy  along  with  Mr.  Jay. 
But  his  allusions  to  them  are  neither  clear  nor  numer- 
ous. We  are  not  informed  how  many  students  at  a 
time  were  under  Mr.  Winter's  care.  Several  of  those 
who  were  there  during  Mr.  Jay's  term  or  afterwards 
became  ministers  of  great  excellence  ;  and  one  at  least 


48         AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF   TUF.   REV.  WILLIAM   JAY. 

of  the  number  attained  a  degree  )f  popularity  and 
usefulness  only  inferior  to  tliat  of  Mr.  Jay.  We  refer 
to  the  late  excellent  Mr.  Griffin,  of  Portsea,  of  whom 
a  separate  memoir  was  published  some  years  since. 
The  following  List  of  Students  in  Mr.  Winter's  acad- 
emy is  most  probably  incomplete ;  but  it  is  the  best 
we  can  furnish  : — 


Rev. 


W.Jay.    ,     . 

Mr.  Surman  . 

"  Yockney 

"  Wood     . 

"  Hogg     . 

"  Cliff  .     . 

"  Sloper   . 

"  Gelding. 

"  Griffin 

"  Underhill 

"  Ricliardson 

"  Daniel 

"  Lane    . 


Bath. 

Cliesham,  Bucks. 

Staines,  Middlesex. 

Died  wliile  a  Student. 

Entered  the  Church. 

Frome. 

riymouth. 

Fulwood. 

Portsea. 

Frampton. 

Kingswood. 

Wells. 


LETTER    VI. 

APPLICATIONS  FOB  "  THE  BOY  PEEAOiEER." INTEODUCTIOX   TO    EEV. 

EOWLAND    HILL. FIEST     VISIT     TO    8UERT    OHAPEL. — HIS    INTEE- 

COUESE  WITH  EEV.  JOHN  NEWTON  AND  EEV.  JOHN  ETLANn.  —INVI- 
TATIONS TO  SETTLE  IN  LONDON. HIS  INTEODUCTION  TO  MISS  DA- 
VIES.— EESIDENCE  AT  CnEISTIAN  MALFOED. — HIS  FAEEWELL  SEE- 
MON,  AND  ME.  WINTEe's  ADDEESS  TO  THE  EEADEE. 

My  deae  CniLDREisr, — I  hardly  know  liow  it  was 
tliat  I  succeeded  in  preacMng  from  time  to  time  in  sucli 
a  degree  as  I  did.  But  I  could  not  be  ignorant  of  the 
acceptance  I  met  with,  and  the  numbers  who  followed 
me ;  nor  did  mj  too  fond  and  partial  tutor  keep  from 
me  so  often  as  he  should  have  done,  the  applications 
he  had  for  "the  boy  preacher."  I  am  convinced  my 
motives  at  this  time  were  right ;  for  gain  and  fame 
seemed  perfectly  out  of  the  question.  This  simplicity 
of  intention  much  helped  me  in  studying  and  speak- 
ing ;  for  it  is  only  as  the  eye  is  single  that  the  whole 
body  is  full  of  light.    . 

After  having  for  some  time  been  confined  to  village 
efforts,  I  was  elevated  to  preach  occasionally  in  some  of 
the  respectable  congregations  both  in  the  neighboring 
and  remoter  towns.  Here  also  I  found  favor ;  and 
from  report  and  observation  I  began  to  think  I 
possessed  something  more  than  I  had  formerlj^  been 

3 


50  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

aware  of,  and  I  supposed  (I  trust  I  may  saj  this  with- 
out arrogan3e)  what  it  was,  and  that  it  might  be  im- 
proved ;  and  that  it  would  be  my  wisdom  to  adhere 
chiefly  to  it.  I  knew  some  attainments  were  not  in  my 
power ;  and  that  few  individuals  ever  had  talent 
enough  to  excel  in  many^  or  even  in  several  things.  A 
remark  had  struck  me  in  reading  Johnson's  Life  of 
Watts,  in  which  he  says,  "  The  reason  why  the  an- 
cients surpassed  the  moderns  was  their  greater  modes- 
ty. They  had  a  juster  conception  of  the  limitation  of 
human  powers ;  and,  despairing  of  universal  eminence, 
they  confined  their  application  to  one  thing,  instead  of 
expanding  it  over  a  wider  surface." 

I  cannot  deny  that  even  at  this  time  I  felt  enough  to 
excite  and  encourage  a  moderate  hoj^e  that  by  the 
blessing  of  God  in  the  diligent  use  of  means,  I  might 
become  a  preacher  of  some  little  distinction.  The 
work  also  appeared  the  noblest  under  heaven,  and  to 
be  a  sufiicient  employment  in  itself.  To  this,  therefore 
(not  entirely  neglecting  other  things),  I  resolved  more 
peculiarly  to  dedicate  myself,  keeping  as  much  as  pos- 
sible from  encroachments,  and  endeavoring  to  make 
everything  not  only  subordinate  but  subservient  to 
my  chosen  and  beloved  aim. 

Nor,  though  it  may  seem  vain,  could  I  state  things 
truly  and  fully  unless  I  observed  also  that  I  perceived 
some  common  failings  in  preaching  which  I  thought 
might  be  avoided,  and  some  sources  of  attraction,  im- 
pression, and  imi:)rovemont,  that  Jiiight  at  least  be  es- 
sayed with  propriety.  Of  course  I  refer  more  immedi- 
ately to  the  state  of  thej^ulpit  in  the  religious  connec- 
tions in  which  I  moved.  It  is  probable  my  meaning 
will  be  explained  and  exemplified  before  the  close  of 


THE   EEV.   WILLIAM   JAY.  61 

these  letters.  But  in  what  I  have  here  intimated  I  am 
certain  I  judged  from  mj  own  views  and  feehngs,  I 
also  left  nothing  to  mere  speculation.  I  tried  the  case, 
in  some  humble  degree,  and  my  conviction  was  in- 
creased by  a  measure  of  success. 

As  I  was  now  leaving  Mr.  Winter,  after  too  short 
and  imperfect  a  course  of  preparation,  I  came  in  con- 
tact with  the  Eev.  Eowland  Hill,  who,  with  the  per- 
mission and  approbation  of  my  tutor,  engaged  me  for 
a  season  to  go  to  London,  to  supply  Surrey  Chapel. 
This  indeed  was  a  formidable  engagement,  but  I  was 
carried  through  it  far  beyond  my  expectations.  The 
place,  though  so  large,  was  soon  crowded  to  excess ; 
and  when  I  preached  my  last  sermon,  the  yard  before 
the  dwelling-house  was  filled  with  the  lingering  multi- 
tude, who  would  not  disperse  till  I  had  bidden  them 
farewell  from  the  window.* 

This  visit  to  London  was,  with  regard  to  myself,  a 
very  important  and  influential  event.  It  gave  me  an 
enlarged  publicity.f  It  led  to  a  friendship  between 
Mr.  HiU  and  myself  which  continued  till  his  death. 

*  As  nearly  as  -we  have  been  able  to  ascertain  by  a  comparison 
of  dates,  this  first  visit  to  Surrey  Chapel,  which  had  so  important  an 
influence  upon  the  subsequent  career  of  Mr.  Jay,  took  place  in  the 
year  1788. 

f  In  the  Preface  to  the  Sermon  entitled  "  The  "Wife's  Advocate," 
Mr.  Jay  relates  the  following  fact  relative  to  this  visit: — 

"When  the  author,  if  he  may  be  excused  a  reference  to  himselfi 
quite  a  youth,  first  went  to  London,  and  was  all  anxiety  to  hear  the 
preachers  of  the  famed  metropolis,  he  was  told  by  a  friend  that  if  he 

wished  to  hear  a  good  doctrinal  sermon,  he  must  hear  Mr. ; 

if  an  experimental,  he  must  hear  Mr. ;  and  if  a  practical,  ho 

must  hear  Mr. .     And    he  well  remembers    simply  asking, 

"  But  is  there  no  minister  here  who  preaches  all  these  ?  I  should 
rather  hear  him." 


52  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

It  involved  mc  in  an  engagement  to  supply  SuiTey 
Chapel  for  a  number  of  Sabbaths  annually.  It 
brought  me  into  a  very  intimate  intercourse  with,  and 
subserviency  to,  that  extraordinary  character,  the  Kev. 
John  Ryland,  of  Northampton,  the  father  of  the  late 
Dr.  Ryland,  of  Bristol.  It  placed  me  under  the  notice, 
and  gave  me  a  share  in  the  affection,  of  that  most  es- 
timable man  of  God,  the  Rev.  John  Newton,  rector  of 
St.  Mary's,  Woolnoth ;  and  it  also  laid  the  foundation 
of  my  acquaintance  with,  and  admiration  of,  your  en- 
tirely beloved  and  esteemed  mother. 

Before  I  left  town  I  received  applications  to  settle ; 
but  owing  to  my  yonth,  and  being  anxious  before  I 
became  a  pastor  to  secure  more  preparation  for  the  of 
lice,  I  declined  them  all,  and  retired  to  Christian  Mai 
ford,  near  Chippenham.  This  was  a  small  but  to  me 
an  interesting  village,  as  I  had  often  preached  there 
while  a  student,  and  as  here  Mr.  Winter  himself  for 
some  time  had  resided,  and  labored  in  his  earlier  min- 
istry, as  may  be  seen  in  his  memoirs.  My  salary  was 
to  be  £35  a-3'ear ;  but  my  wants  were  few,  and  a  con- 
siderable tradesman  (who  had  married  Mr.  "Winter's 
niece)  promised  to  board  me  gratuitously.  Here  I 
was  rich  compared  with  the  prophet  in  the  house  of  the 
Shunamite,  who  had  only  "  a  little  chamber  on  the 
wall,  and  a  bed,  and  a  table,  and  a  stool,  and  a  candle- 
stick." I  was  therefore  as  to  accommodation  and  pro- 
vision perfectly  satisfied,  and  free  from  all  worldly  care. 

Here  (it  was  much  my  wish  in  going  there)  I  hoped 
to  find  abstraction,  and  to  pursue  my  improvement. 
But  my  design  and  expectation  failed  me  in  no  small 
degree.  My  own  stock  of  books  was  very  scanty, 
and  there  was  no  public  library  to  which  I  could  have 


THE  REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  53 

access.  My  purse  did  not  allow  me  to  buy,  and  there 
was  no  one  from  wliom  I  could  borrow.  I  bad  also 
become  previously  too  well  known  in  most  of  our 
neighboring  congregations  to  be  left  unsolicited  when 
they  bad  a  lack  of  service.  I  was,  therefore,  urged 
constantly  to  preach  abroad,  and  I  had  not  the  courage 
and  firmness  which  time  gives  one,  to  say  "iVb,"  to 
importunity ;  for,  as  Mr.  Cecil  remarks,  "  A  minister 
should  never  be  to  be  had." 

Here  in  my  little  volume  of  life  you  will  have  to 
turn  over  another  leaf.     In  the  meantime, 

I  am,  &;c. 

[The  reader  will,  we  trust,  not  be  displeased  at  an 
interruption  here  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  to 
him  some  extracts  from  the  sermon  which  Mr.  Jay 
preached  and  published  on  the  occasion  of  quitting 
this  his  first  station.  The  fact  of  the  very  early  ap- 
pearance of  this  sermon  in  print,  is  of  itself  interest- 
ing ;  but  the  great  excellence  of  the  farewell  words 
from  so  young  a  minister  will  gratify  all  who  admire 
Mr.  Jay's  character  and  writings,  but  few  of  whom 
can  ever  have  seen  that  sermon.  It  so  pleased  his 
excellent  tutor,  that,  though  he  had  before  dissuaded 
him  from  printing  when  urged  by  partial  friends,  yet 
he  not  only  consented  to  the  publication  of  this  sermon, 
but  himself  wrote  a  prefatory  address  to  the  reader, 
which,  as  it  is  an  expression  of  affectionate  regard  for 
Mr.  Jay  and  a  relic  of  the  excellent  tutor,  we  shall  in- 
sert it  entire,  together  with  so  much  of  Mr.  Jay's  ser- 
mon as  refert  to  the  solemn  farewell.] 


64  AUTOBIOGRAl'HY   OF 

EXTRACT  FKOM  HIS  FAREWELL  SERi[ON  PREACHED   AT 
CHRISTIAN  MALFORD. 

[Mr.  Winter's  "  Address  to  the  Reader,"  prefixed  to 
this  sermon,  is  so  interesting  in  reference  to  Mr.  Jay, 
that  we  are  persuaded  our  readers  Avill  be  happy  to 
read  it.] 

Mr.  Winter's  ^^  Address  to  the  Reader ^ 

Soon  after  Mr.  Jay's  puTjhc  appearance  several  of 
his  friends  were  desirous  of  reading  some  of  those  ser- 
mons which  they  had  heard  with  pleasure.  I  had  in- 
fluence enough  with  him  to  overrule  the  motion,  and 
my  reasons  for  interfering  may  easily  be  conjectured. 
Tlae  subjects  were  common,  and  in  a  variety  of  forms 
had  been  treated  by  the  most  able  ministers,  whose 
years  and  experience  gave  weight  to  their  observa- 
tions. 

The  sermon  preached  at  the  opening  of  Mr.  Tup- 
pen's  Chapel  at  Bath,  however,  found  its  way  to  the 
press,  through  the  request  of  many  who  heard  it.  The 
subsequent  sermon  is  published  at  my  particular  de- 
sire. On  being  informed  of  the  impression  it  made  at 
the  time  of  delivery,  I  desired  to  read  it.  I  cannot 
but  think  it  will  gratify  some,  as  it  did  me, — no  doubt 
it  will  those  who  heard  it  preached.  It  was  the  pro- 
duction of  a  Saturday  evening,  and  the  writer  had  not 
the  most  distant  thoughts  of  its  coming  abroad.  A 
special  notice  taken  of,  and  an  address  made  to,  indi- 
viduals of  a  congregation  in  the  body  of  a  discourse 
such  as  l^lr.  and  Mrs.  Prior  received,  is  unusual,  but 
local  circumstances  justified  it  on  the  present  occasion ; 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM  JAY.  55 

and  it  may  serve  as  a  specimen  of  tlie  difficulty  witli 
wliicti  the  Grospel  is  supported  in  many  of  our  vil- 
lages. My  principal  design  in  this  advertisement  is  to 
take  the  blame  of  the  publication  to  myself,  if  it  de- 
serves any,  and  to  screen  the  youth  from  reflection. 
Whether  it  will  be  thought  wise  or  weak  by  the 
speculatist  is  not,  I  am  persuaded,  what  Mr.  Jay  will 
be  concerned  about,  so  much  as  whether  it  may  con- 
duce to  answer  the  end  he  had  in  view  when  he 
preached  it, — the  profit  of  many  that  they  may  be 
saved,  and  for  which  he  is  willing  to  renounce  the 
praise  of  man.  K  I  mistake  not,  the  sermon  is  ex- 
pressive of  a  proper  spirit,  and  may  safely  be  imitated 
by  young  men,  who  too  frequently  break  their  first 
connections  with  acrimony  and  reflection,  that  betrays 
resentment  of  injuries,  either  real  or  imaginary,  and 
impatience  of  contradiction. 

Like  all  other  congregations,  that  at  Christian  Mal- 
ford  has  those  in  it  who  are  not  properly  sensible  of 
the  blessings  of  the  Grospel, — are  prone  to  cavil  at 
what  they  have,  and  to  want  what  they  have  not.  But 
the  best  and  the  greatest  part  are  otherwise  minded. 
It  is  a  poor  congregation,  which  has  undergone  many 
revolutions,  and  includes  a  small  society  over  which  I 
was  ordained ;  and  with  which,  from  my  great  attach- 
ment to  rural  retirement,  I  had  a  desire  to  live  and 
die.  Though  I  left  them  of  necessity,  I  intended  to 
give  them  all  the  assistance  I  could,  and  when  I 
opened  my  little  seminary,  I  had  my  eye  upon  them 
as  a  proper  people  with  whom  my  young  friends  might 
with  advantage  make  their  first  exertions.  They  have 
shared  as  largely  in  Mr.  Jay's  affections  as  they  have  of 
mine,  but  I  never  supposed  he  would  continue  with  them. 


56  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

He  who  stations  the  stars,  has  the  disposal  of  his  min- 
isters ;  and  in  subordination  to  his  wise  and  righteous 
appointment,  the  qualification  of  ministers  should  de- 
termine the  propriety  of  their  situation. 

Men  of  the  most  distinguished  ability,  if  disposed 
to  exert  themselves,  might  diffuse  their  light  where  it 
would  be  improper  for  them  to  fix  their  residence ; 
and  by  their  occasional  services  might  help  such  in- 
digent country  congregations  as  that  at  Christian  Mal- 
ford  to  advantage.  The  necessity  of  raising  and  pre- 
serving such  societies  is  obvious  to  a  thinking  man, 
influenced  with  proper  zeal  for  the  spread  of  vital 
godliness.  Parochial  instruction  is,  in  general,  too 
superficial  and  abstruse.  It  does  not  enough  respect 
the  first  principles  of  rehgion ;  and  what  it  does  in- 
culcate is  without  that  solemnity,  fervor,  and  perspic- 
uity that  is  necessary  to  render  it  effectual.  As  the 
poor  want  more  condescension  than  in  common  is 
shown  to  them,  so  their  minds  require  more  labor  than 
in  general  is  bestowed  upon  them.  An  attention  to 
this  I  always  inculcated  upon  Mr.  Jay  ;  and,  blessed 
be  God,  he  has  learned  to  stoop  to  the  child.  If  I  de- 
tain the  reader  a  moment  longer  from  the  sermon,  it 
is  only  to  add  a  hint  on  the  importance  of  my  breth- 
ren in  the  ministry  making  such  cougTegations  as  that 
we  refer  to  the  object  of  their  benevolent  attention,  as 
far  as  circumstances  will  admit.  The  tedious  hours 
of  many  old  people  are  hereby  well  employed,  and 
their  minds  fed  with  knowledge.  Mothers  of  young 
children,  who  by  maternal  duties  are  prevented  from 
going  far  distant  from  their  habitations,  partake  of  the 
benefit ;  and  servants  who  are  restricted  in  their  time 
find  their  advantage  from  it.     The  glory  of  God  and 


!'HE   REV.    WILLIAM  JAY.  57 

the  salvation  of  souls  are  concerned  in  it.  By  this 
means  living  expositors  supply  the  place  of  printed 
expositions  ;  and  a  proper  attention  being  paid  to  the 
narrow  capacity'  of  the  poor  ilhterate  peasants,  tlieir 
understanding  is  informed,  while  their  affections  are  ani- 
mated. By  the  blessing  of  God  upon  our  endeavors, 
they  acquire  proper  ideas  of  a  church,  and  without  en- 
gaging in  the  clamors  of  controversy,  silently  and 
modestly  organize  themselves  into  such  societies  as 
they  have  examples  of  in  the  Sacred  Eecords.  Though 
they  may  be  destitute  of  the  splendor  of  the  world, 
they  have  the  sanction  of  God,  and  the  neighboring 
minister  or  evangelical  student — ^for  they  are  incom- 
petent to  support  a  pastor — finds  pleasure  and  profit. 
But  every  such  village  has  not  the  advantage  of  a  stu- 
dent disposed  or  permitted  to  lay  out  himself,  and  be- 
stow the  first  fruits  of  his  studies  upon  its  inhabitants, 
and  the  accomplished  academic  thinks  it  too  great  a 
stoop  for  him  to  make.  The  luxuries  of  the  study, 
the  laborious  attention  given  to  the  turning  of  the 
period,  the  ceremonious  and  time-wasting  visits,  and 
the  large  portion  of  time  spent  in  decorating  his  per- 
son, prevent  attention  to  the  pursuit  after  souls  in  this 
humble  way.  We  admire,  then,  the  providence  of 
God  that  selects  from  the  lait}^,  men  of  genius  and 
spirituality  more  than  suf&cient  to  supply  their  place, 
nor  do  we  startle  though  they  should  be  called  Method- 
ists. By  the  effect  of  their  labors,  we  perceive  them 
to  be  the  servants  of  the  Most  High  God,  who  show 
unto  men  the  way  of  salvation,  and  contribute  to  the 
common  cause  of  Christianity.  That  a  reserve  of  such 
a  blessing  may  be  always  made  for  the  people  who 
heard  and  now  may  read,  the  subsequent  sermon ;  and 

3* 


58  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

that  the  word  may  be  preaclieJ  in  power,  and  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much  assurance,  is  the  prayer  of 
their  affectionate  and  devoted  friend, 

Cornelius  Winter. 

CONCLUSION  OF  MR.  JAy's  FAREWELL  SERMON,  AT   CIIUISTIAN 
MALFOED. 

We  are  now  dissolving  a  very  tender  connection,  and 
it  yields  matter  for  mutual  humiliation.  My  success 
has  not  equalled  my  acceptance.  It  becomes  5^ou  to 
inquire  what  on  your  part  has  prevented  it ;  and  with 
sorrow  to  lament  that  you  have  not  improved  the  help 
you  have  enjoyed.  But  all  the  blame  is  not  yours,  and, 
upon  a  review  of  my  labors,  I  need  not  wonder  that 
so  little  good  has  been  done.  Pride  and  levity — ^the 
■want  of  spirituality  of  mind,  zeal  for  God,  and  love 
for  souls,  have  corrupted  my  services,  and  rendered 
them  unsuccessfid.  Infirmities,  natural  and  sinful,  I 
have  had  many.  I  repent  that  I  have  had  no  more 
fervency  and  importunity  with  you  about  the  concerns 
of  eternity.  0,  eternity !  eternity ! — that  thou  hast 
been  no  more  on  the  lip  of  the  preacher,  and  in  the 
ear  of  the  hearer !  Yet,  blessed  be  God,  I  have  the 
testimony  of  my  own  mind,  and  I  hope  of  j^ours  also, 
that  I  have  not  walked  in  craftiness,  nor  handled  the 
word  of  God  deceitfully ;  but  by  manifestation  of  the 
truth  commended  myself  to  every  man  s  conscience  in 
the  sight  of  God.  Those  principles  only  have  been  in- 
culcated upon  you  which  I  believed  to  be  consistent 
with  the  oracles  of  truth.  Having  explained  the  doc- 
trine, and  enforced  the  practice,  of  the  gospel — ^having 
paid  equal  regard  to  the  moral  and  spiritual  part  of  the 
Word — and  haviuf,'  kept  back  nothing  that  was  essen- 


THE   EEV.    WILLIAM  JAY.  69 

tial  for  you  to  know  or  do,  "I  have  not  shunned  to 
declare  unto  you  the  whole  counsel  of  God."  Having 
described  the  guilt  of  sin,  warned  the  sinner  of  his 
danger,  directed  him  where  to  flee  for  refuge,  and  tes- 
tified repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  "  I  take  you  to  record,  that  I  am  pure 
from  the  blood  of  all  men."  What  my  doctrine  and 
manner  of  life  have  been  is  known  to  you ;  and  what 
my  aim  and  intent  has  been  is  known  to  God.  Ee- 
specting  the  former,  I  have  endeavored  "in  simplicity 
and  godly  sincerity,  not  by  fleshly  wisdom,  but  by  the 
grace  of  God,  to  have  my  conversation  in  the  world ; 
but  more  abundantly  to  you- ward."  Eespecting  the 
latter,  I  have  had  the  salvation  of  your  souls  at  heart ; 
"  for  God  is  my  record,  how  greatly  I  long  after  you 
all  in  the  bowels  of  Jesus  Christ.  Brethren,  my 
heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  you  is  that  you 
may  be  saved."  With  this  view,  I  would  now  close 
the  subject  by  reciting  a  few  doctrines,  giving  you  my 
thanks,  and  expressing  my  wishes,  fears,  and  advice. 

The  doctrines  which  you  have  heard,  and  which  we 
pray  God  may  ever  sound  from  this  pulpit,  include 
man's  depravity,  the  redemption  of  the  soul  by  the 
blood  of  Christ,  justification  by  his  obedience,  and 
sanctification  by  his  Spirit — or  faith  and  holiness. 
"  Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God,"  and 
"  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  Where 
there  is  faith  there  will  be  holiness,  and  true  holiness 
always  springs  from  faith  in  Christ.  The  believer  dis- 
claims merit,  but  delights  in  obedience,  and  walks  be- 
fore God  in  newness  of  life.  It  would  be  easy  to 
prove  of  what  importance  such  doctrines  are.  Be  well 
grounded  in  them,  and  pay  more  attention  to  them, 


60  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

than  to  those  wliicli  are  of  less  moment,  and  which 
have  furnished  the  world  with  matter  for  endless  con- 
troversy. "  Contend  earnestly  for"  these  important 
articles  of  "  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,"  and 
beware  of  hearing  or  receiving  a  man  who  opposes 
them,  lest  ye  be  partaker  of  his  evil  deeds.  "  Be  ye 
not  carried  about  with  divers  and  strange  doctrines, 
for  it  is  a  good  thing  for  the  heart  to  be  established 
with  grace." 

My  thanks  are  due  for  the  respect  you  have  paid 
me,  and  for  your  desires  of  my  continuance.  While 
the  love  of  many  cannot  be  overlooked,  it  would  be 
very  remiss,  were  I  not  to  notice  the  kindness  of  some 
present,  which  reflects  the  gTeater  honor  on  them,  and 
lays  me  under  peculiar  obligations.  Our  united  thanks 
are  due  to  our  dear  friends  with  whom  I  have  resided. 
Under  God,  we  have  been  indebted  to  them  for  my 
coming  and  continuance  here.  Being  unable  to  sup- 
port a  minister  yourselves,  I  could  not  have  lived 
among  you,  had  they  not  generously  invited  me  to 
their  house,  and  given  me  my  comfortable  subsistence. 
Nor  are  they  unwilling  of  my  continuance  ;  but  have 
earnestly  desired  me  to  continue  my  connection  with 
their  family.  "  That  which  was  lacking  on  your  part, 
they  have  sui^plied ;  for  they  have  refreshed  my  spirit 
and  yours  ;  therefore  acknowledge  them  that  are  such." 
There  can  be  no  impropriety,  my  honored  friends,  in 
making  this  public  acknowledgment,  "  for  this  thing 
has  not  been  done  in  a  corner."  You  have  exerted 
yourselves  to  tlie  uttermost  in  the  cause  of  your  Re- 
deemer ;  3'ca,  and  beyond  your  power  you  have  been 
willing  to  discover  the  sincerity  of  your  love.  "  Now 
he  that  ministereth  seed  to  the  sower,  both  minister 


THE   EEV.    WILLIAM  JAY.  61 

bread  for  your  food,  and  multiply  your  seed  sown,  and 
increase  the  fruits  of  your  righteousness."  Eemember, 
"  Grod  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget  your  work  of  faith, 
and  labor  of  love."  Beloved,  I  wish  above  all  things 
that  you  may  prosper  in  your  body,  soul,  and  family. 
May  your  dear  children  "know  the  Lord  God  of  their 
parents,  and  serve  him  with  a  perfect  heart  and  will- 
ing mind!" 

My  wishes  respect  your  welfare  as  individuals,  and 
a  society ;  that  you  may  order  your  conversation 
aright,  and  love  one  another  with  a  pure  heart  fer- 
vently ;  that  there  may  be  no  root  of  bitterness  spring- 
ing up  among  you  ;  no  divisions  and  contentions  ;  but 
that  you  may  live  in  peace,  and  the  God  of  peace  be 
with  you ;  that  religioor  may  be  visible  in  the  power 
and  practice  of  it,  and  that  you  may  neither  be  barren 
nor  unfruitful  in  the  kingdom  of  God  !  May  the  seed 
which  has  been  sown  yet  spring  up,  and  bring  forth 
much  fruit ;  may  the  Lord  provide  a  supply  for  you, 
and  render  future  labors  more  successful !  While  I 
am  thus  expressing  the  wishes  of  my  soul,  may  you  be 
able  to  say,  "  The  Lord  grant  thee  thy  heart's  desire, 
and  fulfil  all  thy  petitions !" 

My  fears  are  great  and  many.  T  fear  lest  I  have 
bestowed  labor  upon  you  in  vain.  I  fear  you  have 
been  instructed,  warned,  exhorted,  to  no  purpose.  I 
fear  that  while  you  have  been  hearing  of  an  inherit- 
ance incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not 
away,  there  are  many  of  you  who  have  no  part  nor  lot 
in  the  matter,  but  are  still  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and 
bond  of  iniquity.  If  our  Gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to 
them  that  are  'ost.  And  are  there  none  among  you 
to  whom  this  Gospel  is  hid?     Hid  as  to  the  light? 


62  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

Hid  as  to  the  power  of  it?  Are  there  not  many 
blind  minds,  hardened  hearts,  ungodly  lives?  But, 
God  be  thanked !  there  arc  a  few,  who,  though  they 
were  the  servants  of  sin,  have  obeyed  from  the  heart 
that  form  of  doctrine  which  was  delivered  them.  O 
that  it  was  the  case  with  you  all !  I  would  not  leave 
one  unconverted  person,  0  how  happy  would  it  be 
to  leave  you  all  in  a  fair  way  for  glory  !  But  I  can- 
not depart  from  you  so.  0,  then,  ye  blind  souls,  upon 
whom  the  light  has  shined  in  vain  ;  ye  hardened  souls, 
upon  whom  the  "Word  has  made  no  impression ;  ye 
deluded  souls,  who  have  a  form  of  godliness,  but  deny 
the  power  thereof ; — I  fear  for  you,  and  I  will  weep 
in  secret,  when  my  tongue  cannot  reach  you.  Let  my 
concern  be  yours.  How  is  it  that  you  are  so  un- 
alarmed  ?  Can  you  rest  secure  under  such  a  load  ol 
guilt  ?  Can  you  expect  a  certain  fearful  looking  for 
of  judgment,  and  be  unconcerned  ?  What !  are  there 
so  many  Sabbaths,  sermons,  exhortations,  gone  never 
to  be  recalled,  and  not  afraid?  Like  the  jailer,  may 
you  fear,  and  tremble,  and  cry,  "  What  shall  I  do  to 
be  saved?"  But  this  is  not  the  case.  I  have  then  an- 
other fear  that  I  must  rise  up  in  judgment  to  condemn 
you.  Dreadful !  What !  be  the  means  of  increasing 
their  condemnation  whom  I  Avould  gladly  save  ?  Soon 
we  must  all  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ, 
to  give  an  account  of  our  preaching  a,ad  hearing? 
May  each  of  us  then  be  able  to  do  it  with  joy  and  not 
with  grief !  It  would  yield  a  minister  much  pleasure, 
had  he  reason  to  conclude  that  all  the  people  now  com- 
mitted to  his  care  would  then  prove  his  joy  and  crown 
of  rejoicing.  But,  should  he  be  unsuccessful,  yet  if  he 
be  faithful,  he  shall  not  lose  his  reward.     "  Though 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM  JAY.  68 

Israel  be  not  gathered,  yet  shall  he  be  glorious  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Lord."  "  For  we  are  nnto  God  a  sweet 
savor  of  Christ,  in  them  that  are  saved,  and  in  them 
that  perish ;  to  the  one  we  are  a  savor  of  death  iinto 
death,  and  to  the  other  a  savor  of  life  unto  life." 

Mj  advice  respects  you  as  as  sinners  and  saints.  If 
you  are  sinners  of  any  description  whatever,  I  exhort 
you  to  inquire  into  your  true  state,  your  heinous  guilt, 
your  dreadful  danger.  Lay  j^ourselves  open  to  your 
inspection.  "View  yourselves  in  the  glass  of  the  law. 
Believe  that  you  are  what  the  word  of  God  represents 
you  to  be, — "  miserable,  and  wretched,  and  poor,  and 
blind,  and  naked."  Pray  for  the  wisdom  that  cometh 
from  above,  that  you  may  know  the  value  of  your 
immortal  souls,  and  the  excellency  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Search  the  Scriptures  with  prayer  for  an  understand- 
ing heart.  Depend  on  Christ  alone  for  salvation.  'Tis 
at  your  peril  you  neglect  him.  There  is  none  other 
name  by  which  you  can  be  saved.  But  in  him  you 
will  find  plenteous  redemption.  Come,  and  welcome. 
He  will  not  cast  you  out.     He  waits  to  be  gracious. 

And  you,  my  dear  young  friends,  what  shall  I  say 
to  you?  My  heart  feels  for  you.  The  enemy  of  souls 
eyes  you  as  his  prey;  disappoint  his  hope.  Beware 
of  the  snares  of  the  world,  and  particularly  of  an  evil 
heart  of  unbelief,  in  departing  from  the  living  God. 
Give  up  yourselves  to  the  Lord  by  an  early  dedication, 
and  you  will  find  that  his  ways  are  ways  of  pleasant- 
ness and  all  his  paths  peace.  Your  tears  now  at  my 
departure  show  your  affection  for  me.  You  have 
given  many  evidences  of  it.  Give  one  more.  'Tis 
my  parting  request.  Eecollect  the  many  exhortations 
I  have  given  you.     Eemember  your  Creator  in  the 


64  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

days  of  your  youth.  Seek  liim  early,  and  you  shall 
find  him. 

I  can  rejoice  with  those  of  j^ou  who  know  the  Lord. 
You  have  begun  well,  but  you  must  go  forward  and 
hold  out  to  the  end.  Pray  for  an  increase  of  grace. 
Let  the  Lord  always  be  before  you.  Converse  much 
with  him,  and  keep  up  a  holy,  happy  communion. 
Live  in  continual  dependence  on  his  mercy  and  power 
for  every  supply  you  need.  Act  for  his  honor  and 
praise.  Prefer  this  to  all  pleasure  and  interest  of  your 
own.  Whether  you  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  you 
do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.  Grow  not  indifferent 
in  his  service,  but  be  zealous  for  every  good  word  and 
work.  And,  as  you  would  be  happy  in  time  or  eter- 
nity, be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation  and 
godliness,  looking  for  the  blessed  hope  and  the  glorious 
appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ. 

Herein  I  give  my  advice.  Were  these  to  be  my  last 
words,  I  know  not  what  I  could  press  upon  you  of 
greater  importance.  Let  me  prevail  with  you  to  have 
a  proper  regard  to  what  has  been  said,  and  remember 
it  has  been  given  out  of  love  to  your  best  and  eternal 
interest.  'Tis  not  because  I  seek  m^^self,  but  your  sal- 
vation, that  I  thus  speak.  I  utter  the  dictates  of  affec- 
tion. Let,  then,  the  parting  advice  of  one  who  sin- 
cerely loves  you  be  received  and  followed.  "  Where- 
fore, my  beloved  brethren,  be  ye  steadfast,  unmovable, 
always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch 
as  ye  know  your  labor  shall  not  be  in  vain  in  the 
Lord,  Only  let  your  conversation  be  as  becometh  the 
Gospel,  that  whether  I  come  and  see  you,  or  else  am 
absent,  I  may  hear  of  your  affairs,  that  ye  stand  fast 


THE   PvEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  65 

in  one  spirit,  witli  one  mind  striving  together  for  the 
faith  of  the  GospeL  And  now,  brethren,  I  commend 
you  to  God,  and  the  word  of  his  grace,  which  is  able 
to  buikl  you  up,  and  to  give  you  an  inheritance  among 
them  that  are  sanctified.  Finally,  brethren,  farewell. 
Be  perfect ;  be  of  good  comfort ;  be  of  one  mind ;  live 
in  peace,  ind  the  God  of  peace  shall  be  with  you." 


LETTER    VII. 

MEETS  ^1  TIT  LADY  MAXWELL  : — SUPPLIES  HOPE  CHAPEL  AT  THE  IIOT- 
WELLS  : — jj  CQUAINTANOE  WITH  THE  EEV.  T.  TUPPEN  : — PREAOHES 
DUKING  HIS  ILLNESS  : — OPENING  OF  ARGYLE  CHAPEL,  BUILT  FOR 
MB.  TUPPEN  : — EXTRACTS  FROM  HIS  SERMON  ON  THE  OCCASION: — 
DYING  CHAMBER    OF    MR.  TUPPEN : — UNANIMOUS   INVITATION    OF 

MR.  JAY  TO  THE  PASTORATE  :  — ORDINATION    SERVICE  : MR.  JAY's 

CONFESSION  OF  FAITH  : EXTRACT  FROM  MR.  WINTEr's  CHARGE  TO 

THE  PASTOR  : ADDRESS    BY    MR.  JAY  PREFIXED    TO  THE  ORDINA- 
TION SERVICE. 

My  dear  Children, — After  more  than  a  year  in 
the  situation  I  have  described,  and  where  my  improve- 
ment was  not  great  (though  it  might  have  been  great- 
er with  more  prudence  and  diUgence),  I  met  with  Lady 
Maxwell  in  Bristol,  to  whom  now  belonged  Hope 
Chapel  at  the  Hotwells.  I  hardly  know  how  it  was 
(for  I  did  not  feel  entirely  convinced  of  the  propriety 
of  the  measure),  but  she  prevailed  upon  me  to  supply 
this  chapel,  which  had  not  been  very  long  opened. 
My  preaching  always  filled  the  place,  and  I  hope  good 
was  done.  I  not  only  heard  of  various  instances  of 
conversion,  but  three  of  those  who  were  awakened  by 
mj'  labors  while  there  became  preachers  themselves, 
were  ordained  over  congregations,  and  died  in  the 
faith  of  Christ. 

Here  I  continued  about  twelve  months,  and  here  it 


ADTOBIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   REV.   WILLIAM   JAY.      67 

is  probable  I  slioulcl  still  have  continued  (as  I  was 
pressed  both  by  her  ladyship  and  the  people  to  be- 
come the  stated  minister)  ;  but  a  difference  with  the 
sub-governess,  who  managed,  during  her  ladyship's 
absence  in  Scotland,  the  temporal  concerns  (and  who 
had  no  objection  to  interfere  with  the  spiritual),  ac- 
tuated me  to  resolve  to  withdraw.  Perhaps  there  was 
mutual  blame,  as  there  generally  is  in  such  cases ;  and 
therefore  the  apostle  says,  "  forgiving  one  another,"  as 
if  it  were  necessary  for  the  pardon  to  pass  from  side 
to  side.  However  this  was,  I  certainly  considered 
Mrs.  C.  an  excellent  woman,  and  I  respect  her  memory, 
and  am  not  ignorant  how  Grod  blessed  her  endeavors 
with  her  children.  But,  with  all  my  regard  for  the 
sex,  and  submission  in  domestic  affairs,  I  do  not  plead 
for  female  ecclesiastical  rule,  whether  supreme  or  sub- 
ordinate. 

The  Lord  determines  the  bounds  of  our  habitations ; 
and  the  events  that  move  us  from  one  place  to  another 
are  as  much  under  the  direction  of  his  providence,  as 
the  fiery  cloudy  pillar  which  was  the  conductor  of  the 
Israelites  in  the  wilderness.  But  on  what  apparently 
casual  and  slender  causes  do  consequences  the  most 
interesting  in  our  history  often  hinge  !  At  the  very 
time  of  this  difference  came  an  invitation  from  the  In- 
dependent Church  at  Bath,  then  destitute  by  the  death 
of  their  very  able  and  worthy  pastor,  Rev.  Thomas 
Tuppen.  This  (as  I  was  no  stranger  to  the  place  and 
the  people,  having  several  times  preached  there  during 
their  pastor's  indisposition)  I  soon  accepted ;  and  so 
my  residence  was  fixed  in  that  far-famed  city. 

I  know  not  whether  it  is  common  for  persons  not  to 
seem  to  themselves  at  home  till  they  are  in  the  proper 


C8  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

places  designed  for  them.  I  know  it  wao  thus  with 
me.  I  never  felt  that  I  was  where  I  ougld  to  be,  or 
was  likely  to  remain,  till  I  became,  as  a  preacher,  an 
inhabitant  of  Bath  ;  but  from  that  time  I  said,  "  This 
is  my  destination,  whatever  be  its  duties  or  trials ;" 
and  it  was  additionally  satisfying  to  understand  that 
this  was  the  conviction  of  all  my  friends  and  brethren 
in  the  Gospel.  This  being  the  case,  and  as  I  have 
been  there  for  more  than  fifty-three  years, 

"  Preliminarj  to  the  last  retreat," 

and  as  so  much  of  my  ministry  is  connected  with  it, 
it  may  be  expected  that  I  should  notice  what  led 
to  it. 

Here,  again,  I  am  not  going  to  insinuate  anything 
supernatural,  but  several  rather  striking  circumstances 
concurred  to  produce  the  result ;  and  "  whoso  is  wise 
and  will  observe  these  things,  even  he  shall  understand 
the  loving  kindness  of  the  Lord." 

During  my  first  visit  to  Surrey  Chapel,  already  men- 
tioned, Mr.  Tuppen  happened  to  be  in  London,  and 
frequently  heard  me  there.  After  his  return  to  Bath, 
he  s]3oke  of  me  with  much  kindness  of  manner  to 
many  of  his  people.  Hence,  when  he  was  laid  aside 
by  sickness,  the  deacons  appHed  to  me  (being  then  at 
Christian  Malford)  to  supply  for  a  season  their  lack  of 
service.  I  complied ;  and  considering  what  was  to  fol- 
low, my  first  text  has  been  since  frequently  remarked : 
it  was, — "  What  I  do,  thou  knowest  not  now,  but  thou 
shalt  know  hereafter."  Mr.  Tuppen  after  a  short  time 
revived,  but  soon  relapsed  again,  and  his  illness  was 
severe  and  long ;  yet  some  fond  hopes  were  entertained 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM  JAY.  *      69 

of  liis  recovery,  and  this  occasioned  delay  in  tlie  open- 
ing of  Argyle  Chapel,  which,  encouraged  by  the 
promised  help  of  Lady  Glenorchy,  and  excited  by 
his  growing  success,  he  had  been  induced  to  build ; 
for  he  naturally  wished  (and  his  hearers  also)  that  he 
who  had  been  the  instrument  to  rear  it,  should  open 
■t  himself.  At  length,  however,  it  was  deemed  ex- 
pedient to  wait  no  longer  for  the  dedication  ;  I  was 
therefore  applied  to  for  this  purpose,  and  preached 
both  parts  of  the  day.  The  sermon,  particularly  suit- 
ed for  the  occasion,  was  from  the  words,  "  The  hour 
Cometh  and  now  is,  when  the  true  worshippers  shall 
worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth ;  for  the 
Father  seeketh  such  to  worship  him.  God  is  a  spirit, 
and  they  that  worship  Him  must  worship  Him  in  spirit 
and  in  truth." — John,  iv.  23,  24.  This  sermon  was, 
by  desire,  published.  (The  service  took  place,  Oct.  4, 
1789.) 

[The  insertion  here  of  two  or  three  extracts  from 
this  sermon,  will  not  be  displeasing  to  the  reader.  It 
was  the  first  of  all  his  publications,  and  displays  a  ma- 
turity and  correctness  of  judgment,  as  well  as  earnest- 
ness and  simplicity  of  manner,  truly  admirable  in  a 
minister  so  young,  being  then  little  more  than  twenty 
years  of  age.  How  gratifying  is  the  consideration 
that  this  early  promise  of  excellence  was  so  fully 
realized,  and  so  long,  in  the  very  place,  the  opening 
of  which  so  unexpectedly  devolved  upon  him  !  Little 
did  he  conceive  or  imagine  that  that  was  the  begin- 
ning of  days  to  him, — ^that  he  was  opening  his  own 
and  his  only  chapel,  and  commencing  a  pastorate  un- 
usually long,  happy,  and  useful !] 


70  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

"  When  that  universal  revival  and  l^prea  I  of  relig- 
ion shall  commence,  by  which  the  earth  shall  be  filled 
with  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover 
the  seas ;  we  may  expect  to  come  nearer  to  the  wor- 
ship of  the  inhabitants  of  the  upper  world,  and  more 
intimately  partake  of  their  joys.  Before  that  event- 
ful period,  'tis  more  than  probable,  many  congrega- 
tions of  worshippers  will  successively  occupy  this 
house.  Those  who  at  present  use  it  should  be  con- 
cerned to  know  that  they  are  in  the  number  of  the 
true  worshippers,  lest  they  should  be  repulsed  when 
most  sanguine  about  their  acceptance,  and  be  denied 
admission  into  the  company  of  those  '  nations  who  are 

appointed  to  worship  God  before  the  throne.' " 
*  *  *  *  ^<- 

"  You  will  soon  change  your  place,  but  not  your 
employment,  only  you  will  worship  without  weariness, 
imperfection,  or  end.  If  now  you  can  turn  to  God 
and  say,  '  Lord  thou  knowest  all  things,  I  have  loved 
the  habitation  of  thine  house,  and  the  place  where 
thine  honor  dwelleth,  your  souls  will  not  be  gathered 
with  sinners,  nor  your  lives  with  bloody  men.'  God 
will  receive  you  to  himself,  advance  you  to  his  tem- 
ple above,  that  where  he  is,  there  his  children  may  be 
also.  His  gracious  properties  recorded  in  his  word, 
are  not  only  descriptive  of  what  he  has  been  to  his 
people  of  old,  but  of  what  he  is,  and  of  what  he  will 
be  to  his  children  forever." 

***** 

"  God  is  not  confined.  He  is  no  respecter  of  places 
or  persons  ;  '  but  in  every  nation  he  that  fearcth  God 
and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  of  him.  There 
is  now  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  barbarian,  Scythian, 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM   JAY.  71 

bond  nor  free,  but  Christ  is  all  and  in  all.  For  in 
Christ,  neither  circumcision  availeth  anything,  nor  un- 
circumcision,  but  faith  which  worketh  by  love.'  It 
argues  our  exceeding  ignorance  when  we  should  limit 
the  Holy  One  of  Israel  to  temples  made  with  hands ; 
and  when  our  bigotry  and  attachment  to  any  par- 
ticular society  lead  us  to  exclaim,  '  The  temple  of  the 
Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord  are  we !'  Nothing  makes 
a  people  dear  to  God  but  their  conformity  to  him  ;  nor 
a  place  of  worship  sacred,  but  the  Divine  presence.  In 
point  of  external  sanctity,  all  places  are  equal  to  Him, 
who  hath  said,  '  The  heaven  is  my  throne,  and  the 
earth  is  my  footstool ;  where  is  the  house  that  ye  build 
unto  me,'  &c.,  &c. — ^Isaiah,  Ixvi.  1,  2." 

"  O  thou  God  of  all  grace,  send  out  thy  light  and 
thy  truth,  that  all  may  know  thee,  from  the  least  even 
to  the  greatest !  When  the  Jew  shall  be  called  in,  with 
the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles,  and  when  neither  in  this 
nor  that  place  only  shall  men  worship  the  Father,  but 
all  shall  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 

"  Let  us  bless  God  for  revelation,  and  the  extent  of 
its  discovery  ;  for  the  predictions  and  promises  yet  to 
be  accomplished  ;  for  the  Gospel  which  sounds  in  our 
ears ;  for  the  ordinances  upon  which  we  attend ;  for 
every  convenience  for  his  worship  ;  and  that  '  we  can 
sit  under  our  own  vine  and  fig-tree,  none  daring  to 
make  us  afraid.'  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with  any  na- 
tion ;  and  as  for  his  judgments,  they  have  not  known 

them.     Praise  ye  the  Lord." 

•K-  *  *  *  * 

"  This  being  the  house  of  prayer,  and  the  place  where 
the  attention  of  sinners  is  called  to  the  living  God,  we 
have  reason  to  bless  the  Providence  by  which  it  has 


72  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

been  raised ;  and  the  expression  of  our  gratitude  must 
be  enlarged,  when  we  reflect  upon  the  blessing  and 
success  that  has  attended  the  ministry  of  our  honored 
but  afflicted  friend ;  by  whom  a  worshipping  assembly 
has  been  collected,  and  for  whose  convenience  this 
building  has  been  erected.  We  by  no  means  confine  the 
Lord  and  his  work  to  this  house,  or  suppose  the  place 
has  any  holiness  in  it,  any  more  than  'tis  dedicated  to 
God,  and  appropriated  to  his  service.  'Tis  not  built 
in  opposition  to  oiir  fellow-christians  of  different  per- 
suasions, but  to  promote  the  common  interest  of 
Christianity.  The  population  of  this  respectable  city 
increases,  and  with  it,  blessed  be  God,  '  the  number 
of  believers  are  multiplied.'  Should  this  house  be 
one  of  the  nurseries  of  heaven,  the  end  of  its  erection 
will  be  answered.  We  take  it  for  granted,  that  the 
grace  of  God  will  prevent  our  fellow-christians  from 
looking  upon  it  with  an  envious  eye,  and  lead  them  to 
pray  for  its  prosperity ;  and  that  '  if  Christ  is  preached, 
they  rejoice  and  will  rejoice.'  To  the  lovers  of  Ca- 
tholicism, and  those  who  regard  the  honor  that  cometh 
from  God,  it  must  be  pleasing  to  find  here  a  house 
where  the  minister  of  Christ  may  deliver  what  he  has 
received  from  the  Lord,  though  he  does  not  choose  to  ap- 
pear under  episcopal  sanction.  May  the  man  of  God, 
through  whose  instrumentality  it  was  first  begun,  and 
whose  eyes  see  it  occupied,  live  long  to  sound  his  Ee- 
deemer's  praise  therein,  and  find  the  fruit  of  his  labors 
in  the  conversion  of  sinners,  and  increase  of  grace  to 
all  that  believe." 

[Mr.  Jay  continues  his  letter  thus  :] 

When  Mr.  Tuppen's  recovery  was  quite  despaired 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM  JAY.  73 

of,  tlie  deacons  of  tlie  cliurcli  repaired  to  his  dying 
chamber,  and  expressed  a  wisli  to  have  Ms  advice  and 
recommendation  with  regard  to  his  successor,  observ- 
ing that  though  his  opinion  might  not  absolutely  de- 
termine the  choice  of  the  people,  it  vv^ould  tend  much 
to  influence,  unite,  and  guide  them.  He  only  and  in- 
stantly mentioned  my  name ;  and  as  this  fell  in  with 
the  conviction  and  wish,  both  of  the  members  and  the 
attendants,  I  was  immediately  invited  to  take  the  pas- 
torate. I  accepted  the  call,  and  was  in  due  ti-ne  or- 
dained over  them  in  the  Lord.  At  this  solemnity  my 
venerated  tutor  prayed,  (I  think  I  hear  that  "^rayer 
now,)  and  gave  me  the  charge,  while  the  Eev.  John 
Adams  of  Salisbury  preached  on  the  duties  of  the 
people.  Some  things  usual  on  such  occasion?  were 
waived,  and  the  order  of  the  service  altered  as  well  as 
curtailed.  For  this  some  of  my  brethren  censure  a  me ; 
and  for  which  I  have,  nearly  ever  since,  censured  my- 
self. The  alteration  originated  in  nothing  commenda- 
ble,— I  was  for  the  moment  improperly  influeno':  J  by 
the  friendship  and  talents  of  a  man  who  was  wanting 
in  sobriety  of  mind,  and  often  affected  singularity. 
But  it  is  better  to  gain  distinction  by  regularly  going 
in  "the  king's  highway,"  than  by  tumbling  on  the 
road,  or  breaking  through  the  hedge.  I  much  approve 
of  the  usual  method  of  ordination  among  our  dissenters 
and  their  fathers  before  them.  It  is  lawfal,  it  is  ex- 
pedient, it  is  profitable,  and  falls  in  with  the  spirit 
and  principles,  and  rule  and  mode  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. I  have  long  been  afraid  of  whims  and  vagaries, 
and  new  discoveries  in  religion  ;  and  have  been  con- 
tent to  go  forth  by  the  footsteps  of  the  flock,  and  to 
walk  in  the  good  old  way.     I  have  felt  increasingly 

4 


74  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

disposed  to  tolerate  rather  than  innovate.  I  may  not 
admire  everything  I  find  in  my  own  party  or  de- 
nomination ;  but  I  would  not  divide  from  them  for 
every  trifling  difference  of  opinion.  I  must  not,  in- 
deed, sin  in  violating  the  convictions  of  my  conscience  ; 
but  in  how  many  cases  may  the  question  and  the  ad- 
monition be  safely  applied,  "  Hast  thou  faith  ?  have  it 
to  thyself  before  God."  I  am,  &c. 

[This  is  the  proper  place  for  introducing  into  the 
narrative  some  extracts  from  the  very  interesting  ser- 
vice of  Mr.  Jay's  ordination — particularly  his  address 
to  his  congregation,  which  is  prefixed  to  the  pamphlet — 
and  his  own  statement  of  principles,  technically  called 
the  Confession  of  Faith.  As  both  these  documents 
have  an  intimate  connection  with  his  autobiography, 
are  not  now  to  be  obtained,  and  possess  great  intrinsic 
excellence,  we  have  thought  it  desirable  to  preserve 
them  entire,  with  a  short  extract  from  the  charge  by 
Mr,  Winter.] 

AN  ADDRESS  TO  THE  CONGREGATION,  PREFIXED  TO  THE 
ORDINATION  SERVICE. 

Dear  and  Honored  Friends. — Though  I  was  as 
forward  as  yourselves  for  the  publication  of  the  other 
parts  of  the  service,  I  was  averse  to  the  publication  of 
the  several  thoughts  I  delivered  on  the  same  occasion ; 
nor  should  I  have  sent  them  abroad,  had  it  not  been 
for  repeated  solicitation,  and  for  the  sake  of  those  im- 
portant instructions  which  Avere  not  to  make  their  ap- 
pearance without  them.  My  reluctance  did  not  arise 
from  an  over-nice  delicacy,  or  from  a  fear  of  the  dis- 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM  JAY.  75 

covery  of  my  creed ;  but  from  a  persuasion  of  its  in- 
utility, my  sentiments  having  been  all  along  fully 
known,  and  the  design  of  the  work  of  the  day  equally 
answered  without  it.  The  intention  of  it  was  not  to 
bring  to  light  our  proceedings — ^it  was  not  to  make  a 
pastor  or  declare  a  person  to  be  one — it  was  not  to 
unite  us  or  to  ratify  such  a  union — much  less  was  it 
to  invest  with  any  new  power,  or  authorize  an  admin- 
istration of  the  ordinance.  The  simple  design  of  it  was 
to  receive  instruction,  in  order  to  impress  us  with  a 
sense  of  our  mutual  duties,  and  to  implore  the  God  of 
all  grace  to  bless  us  "  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in 
Christ  Jesus." 

As  I  had  taken  no  minutes  of  what  I  delivered,  I 
feared  I  should  be  unable  to  recollect  it  so  far  as  to 
give  satisfaction ;  however,  I  may  venture  to  say  from 
several  testimonies,  that  the  address  which  you  now 
see  is  the  same  which  you  lately  heard.  I  did  not 
absolutely  determine  to  say  anything  on  the  occasion. 
I  left  it  to  the  freedom  of  my  mind,  and  finding  in- 
clination and  liberty,  I  spake  freely,  regardless  of  the 
studied  plan  of  confessional  system. 

The  glorious  Grospel  of  the  blessed  God  our  Saviour 
is  the  great  object  of  our  attention  as  minister  and 
people ;  this  only  am  I  allowed  to  preach,  this  only 
are  you  allowed  to  hear.  If  I  mistake  not,  the  sub- 
stance is  to  be  found  in  the  following  pages.  Some, 
probably,  will  deem  my  creed  deficient ;  such  should 
remember  that  I  have  not  here  delivered  all  my  senti- 
ments, or  everything  relative  to  one  of  them.  It  is 
enough  if  I  believe  in  my  heart  and  confess  with  my 
mouth  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified.  The  apostle 
determined  to  know  nothing  in  comparison  with  it. 


76  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  CF 

lie  began  his  ministry  by  delivering  "first  of  all,  that 
which  he  also  received,  how  that  Jesus  Christ  died  for 
our  sins,  and  was  buried,  and  rose  again  according  to 
the  Scriptures."  And  it  is  more  than  probable  he 
ended  in  a  similar  manner,  saying,  "  God  forbid  that  I 
should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  He  is  "  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith ;" 
his  obedience  and  sacrifice  the  alpha  and  omega  of  the 
Gospel.  No  other  foundation  can  any  man  lay  than 
that  which  is  laid.  "  Now  if  any  build  upon  this  found- 
ation gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  wood,  hay,  stub- 
ble, every  man's  work  shall  be  made  manifest,  for  the 
day  shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  by 
fire."  Blessed  be  God,  many  of  you  know  and  are 
assured  that  the  fall  of  man,  the  redemption  of  Christ, 
the  work  of  the  Sj^irit,  and  many  other  things  in- 
sejDarable  from  them,  far  from  being  opinions,  are 
facts — facts  which  may  be  opposed — facts  which  can 
never  be  overturned.  Perhaps  some  of  you  are  poor 
and  illiterate,  are  not  able  to  dispute  their  truth,  or 
solve  the  objections  with  which  they  have  been  loaded, 
— but  you  are  as  satisfied  of  their  reality  as  those  who 
may  possess  a  capacity  competent  to  both.  While 
others  are  controverting  as  a  notion,  whether  you  are 
disordered,  and  whether  you  are  incapable  of  action, 
}'•  ou  do  not  hestitate  for  a  moment ;  it  is  a  fact  you 
see,  you  feel,  you  groan  beneath  the  sad  eftccts  of  your 
deep-rooted  malady.  While  others  are  controverting 
as  a  notion,  whether  there  is  such  a  thing  as  the  sun  in 
the  firmament,  and  whether  he  benefits  the  earth,  you 
entertain  no  doubt  it  is  a  fact ;  you  see  its  light,  you 
feel  its  heat,  you  rejoice  in  its  pleasant  influence.  To 
drop  metaphor.     You  are  not  captives  to  a  blind  be- 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM   JAY.  77 

lief,  nor  is  your  faitli  the  child  of  folly.  You  do  not 
receive  your  religion  without  proof;  for  while  others 
who  are  able  may  judge  from  outward,  you  judge 
from  internal  evidence ; — -while  others  who  are  able 
may  determine  from  the  conviction  of  the  mind,  you 
judge  from  the  conviction  of  the  heart. 

K  you  "  hold  the  head,"  you  will  not  be  "carried 
about  by  strange  doctrines."  While  others  are  "  ever 
learning  and  never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth,"  "  as  you  have  received  Christ  Jesus  the 
Lord,  so"  you  will  continue  to  "  walk  in  him,  rooted 
and  built  up  in  him,  and  established  in  the  faith  as  ye 
have  been  taught,  abounding  therein  with  thanksgiv- 
ing." A  disposition  for  novelty  in  religious  truth  is 
the  spring  of  error  running  through  the  flowery  field 
of  speculation  into  the  gulf  of  apostasy.  It  is  the 
mark  of  a  bad  palate  when  a  man  is  forever  seeking 
fresh  food  ;  and  it  is  an  indication  of  a  corrupt  mind 
to  despise  and  neglect  common  truth.  Happy  in  the 
possession  of  what  others  seek  for  in  vain,  you  will  be 
satisfied  with  the  word  of  hfe  which  you  have  known, 
handled,  and  tasted.  Content  with  this  provision,  you 
will  feed  and  "  grow  thereby,"  and  be  nourished  up 
in  the  words  of  faith  and  sound  doctrine.  While  oth- 
ers are  strangers  to  a  peace  of  understanding,  their 
understanding  being  perpetually  on  the  search,  not 
knowing  where  to  settle,  you  will  come  to  a  point,  and 
be  able  to  make  an  absolute,  unhesitating  conclusion. 
And  while  their  mind  "like  a  wave  of  the  sea  be  driven 
to  and  fro  and  tossed"  on  the  ocean  of  uncertainty,  till 
dashed  on  the  rocks  of  scepticism  or  infidehty  ;  you 
will  continue  in  the  things  which  you  have  heard, 
knowing  of  whom  you  have  learned  them  ;  and  "  your 


78  A  f'TOBIOGRAT^ny   OF 

hearts  will  be  comforted,  being  knit  together  in  love, 
unto  all  the  riches  of  the  full  assurance  of  understand- 
ing, to  the  acknowledgment  of  the  mystery  of  God, 
of  the  Father,  and  of  Christ." 

You  will  remember,  that  by  the  things  which  you 
have  heard  you  are  saved,  "  if  ye  keep  in  memory 
what  has  been  preached  unto  you,  unless  ye  have  be- 
lieved in  vain."  They  are  the  chief  sources  of  com- 
fort and  the  principal  motives  to  duty.  "  Ye  shall 
know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall  make  you  free." 
It  unbinds  the  captive  soul  from  the  chains  of  sin,  and 
releases  him  from  the  bondage  of  misery.  Other  doc- 
trines may  bring  a  few  persons  on  the  cold  legs  of 
custom  to  a  place  of  worship,  and  keep  them  from 
some  enormous  crimes ;  but  thej^  are  not  effectual  "  to 
turn  a  sinner  from  darkness  to  light,  or  the  power  of 
Satan  to  God  ;"  nor  can  one  instance  be  proved  of  any 
nation,  society,  or  individual  experiencing  a  moral 
change  of  nature  where  these  truths  have  been  re- 
nounced. Therefore,  we  do  not  plead  for  them  as 
mere  notions,  but  truths ;  we  do  not  plead  for  them  as 
mere  truths,  but  as  truths  essential  to  our  holiness  and 
happiness.  If  people  will  show  us  other  doctrines 
which  will  better  answer  the  purpose  of  reforming  the 
wicked,  of  purifying  the  heart,  of  supporting  the  mind 
under  the  sorrows  of  life,  and  of  enabling  the  soul  to 
rejoice  in  the  dark  valley  of  the  sliadow  of  death  with 
joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,  Ave  will  believe. 

But  you  will  observe,  that  no  system  of  doctrine 
will  serve  in  the  stead  of  that  grace  b}^  which  the 
heart  is  to  be  renewed,  and  the  life  sanctified.  Purity 
of  sentiment  followed  with  wicked  practice  is  only 
"  holding  the  truth  in  unrighteousness."     Faith  with- 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  79 

out  works  is  as  the  body  without  the  spirit,  "  dead 
being  alone."  He  that  cherishes  it  is  a  "  vain  man." 
Would  God  we  knew  not  where  to  find  such  a  charac- 
ter !  But  alas !  how  numerous  are  the  instances  of 
professors  discovering  immoderate  attachment  to  "  the 
present  evil  world  ;"  and  instead  of  confessing  them- 
selves to  be  "strangers  and  pilgrims  upon  earth," 
seeking  a  naturahzatioii  into  its  prohibited  customs 
and  delusive  honors  !  Hence  so  httle  savor  of  grace 
in  their  conversation — so  little  sph-itualitj  in  their  de- 
votions—so httle  hohness  in  their  lives  !  Be  not  con- 
formed to  them.  "  Adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  your 
Saviour  in  all  things."  Let  your  practice  praise  your 
creed,  and  your  lives  do  honor  to  your  heads.  "  Walk 
worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  you  are  called,  as 
heirs  of  the  grace  of  eternal  life ;  joined  together  in 
the  same  mind  and  in  the  same  judgment,  striving  to- 
gether for  the  faith  of  the  gospel."  In  our  present 
connection  let  us  never  forget  our  duty  and  privilege. 
"  0  house  of  Israel  trust  thou  in  the  Lord,  he  is  their 
help  and  their  shield.  0  house  of  Aaron  trust  thou 
in  the  Lord,  he  is  their  help  and  their  shield.  The 
Lord  hath  been  mindful  of  us,  he  will  bless  us,  he 
will  bless  the  house  of  Israel,  he  will  bless  the  house 
of  Aaron.  Except  the  Lord  build  the  house,  they  la- 
bor in  vain  that  build  it.  Except  the  Lord  keep  the 
city,  the  watchman  waketh  but  in  vain."  "  Commit 
thy  way  unto  the  Lord,  trust  also  in  him,  and  he  will 
bring  it  to  pass."  "  O  satisfy  us  early  with  thy  mercy, 
that  we  may  rejoice  and  be  glad  all  our  days.  Let  thy 
work  appear  unto  thy  servants,  and  thy  glory  unto 
their  children.  And  let  the  beauty  of  the  Lord  our 
God  be  upon  us  ;  and  establish  thou  the  work  of  our 


80       -  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

hands  upon  us,  yea,  the  work  of  our  hands  establish 
thou  it." 

[Mr.  Jay's  confession  of  faith  delivered  at  his  ordi- 
nation, January  30,  1791.] 


A   VIEW  OF  THE    GOSPEL  ;    OR,  THE  PRINCIPAL  MATTER 
OF  AN"  EVANGELICrL  MINISTRY. 

"Moreover,  bretliren,  I  declare  unto  you  the  Gospel  which  I 
preached  unto  you,  which  also  you  have  received,  and  wherein 
ye  stand ;  by  which  also  ye  are  saved,  if  ye  keep  in  memory 
what  I  have  preached  unto  you,  unless  ye  have  believed  in  vain." 
— 1  Cor.  XV.  1. 

The  sacred  business  in  which  we  are  engaged  is  to 
commemorate,  solemnize,  and  sanctify  by  prayer  and 
instruction,  the  union  which  the  minister  and  people 
of  this  church  for  a  considerable  time  have  formed. 

Such  an  union  should  always  be  formed  with  a  cau- 
tious regard  to  the  Divine  will,  an  affectionate  concern 
for  immortal  souls,  and  a  pleasing  hope  of  being  help- 
ers of  each  other's  joy.  It  is  a  work  of  the  greatest 
importance  because  of  its  consequences,  for  it  is  not  so 
much  a  natural  as  a  spiritual  connection  ;  not  so  much 
designed  for  time  as  eternity  ;  not  so  much  to  be  ap- 
proved, judged,  or  censui'ed  in  the  present  state,  as  in 
the  future  day,  when  we  must  all,  in  our  individual, 
relative,  and  public  capacity,  "  give  an  account  of  our- 
selves unto  God." 

"  To  save  us  with  a  holy  calling  not  according  to 
our  works,  but  according  to  his  purpose  and  grace 
given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  Avorld  began,"  has 
been  the  one  grand  aim  of  Jehovah,  adhered  to  in 


THE   EEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  81 

every  age,  in  ever}^  state  of  the  present  system,  and 
universally  pursued  though  all  the  course  of  nature 
and  order  of  Providence.  "  Salvation  belongeth  unto 
the  Lord."  It  is  his  own  work.  Nor  does  he  detract 
from  his  glory  as  the  Author  by  using  instruments  to 
accomphsh  it.  He  could  have  easily  done  withoub 
men,  but  he  is  pleased  to  act  with  them,  and  hence 
some  of  them  are  called  saviours,  the  salt  of  the  earth, 
and  the  light  of  the  world,  because  under  his  Divine 
influence  they  communicate  spiritual  advantage.  To 
make  us  love  one  another,  which  is  a  gi'eat  design  of 
religion,  Grod  has  appointed  us  to  be  the  m.eans  of  com- 
municating his  blessings,  and  under  the  law  made  men 
priests,  and  uader  the  gospel  made  ministers  ''  having 
infirmity." 

He  has  not  commissioned  any  of  the  higher  orders 
of  intelligences,  "  thrones  or  dominions,  principalities 
or  powers,"  "  the  angels  that  excel  in  strength  and  do 
his  commandments,  hearkening  unto  the  voice  of  his 
word,"  but  descending  to  earth  he  has  sent  forth  the 
sons  of  men ;  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  everj^  creature,  and,  lo !  I  am  with  you 
always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  "  He  gave 
some  apostles ;  and  some  prophets ;  and  some  evangel- 
ists ;  and  some  pastors  and  teachers  ;  for  the  work  of 
the  ministry,  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the 
edifying  of  his  body  the  church." 

He  will  never  fail  in  his  instruments  while  he  has 
any  purpose  to  bring  to  pass.  He  may  and  he  does 
produce  changes  in  his  church,  removing  one  and 
another ;  yet  he  has  always  a  reserve  of  instruments  in 
his  secret  intention,  and  in  the  due  time  they  are  made 
manifest.     Ho  will  never  leave  his  work  without  wit- 

4* 


82  AUTOBIOGRAPnY   OF 

nesses,  or  suffer  tbosc  to  perish  for  want  of  provision 
wbo  "  commit  tlic  keeping  of  their  souls  to  him  "  "  in 
well  doing." 

I  hope,  my  beloved,  that  you  have  seen  the  truth  of 
this  remark  in  the  several  steps  you  have  taken  since 
your  social  connection,  and  that  on  the  present  occa- 
sion you  are  ready  to  utter  the  memory  of  his  good- 
ness, in  the  words  of  the  restored  Jews,  "  He  hath 
done  great  things  for  us  whereof  we  are  glad." 

Indeed  it  becomes  me  to  speak  with  proper  modesty 
on  this  subject.  I  am  not  going  to  intimate  that  the 
Lord  has  fully  repaired  your  late  and  deplorable  loss.* 
I  am  not  about  to  flatter  him  who  now  addresses  you 
bj'  placing  him  on  an  equality  with  your  dear  departed 
pastor.  No.  As  I  am  inferior  to  him  in  years,  so  I 
am  inferior  to  him  in  grace.  As  I  come  behind  him 
in  succession  of  labor,  so  I  come  behind  him  in  every 
natural  endowment,  in  every  acquired  help,  in  every 
spiritual  qualification,  that  can  make  the  shining  man, 
or  adorn  the  illustrious  minister. 

I  hope,  therefore,  none  will  consider  the  hint  which 
I  am  going  to  drop  as  in  the  least  tending  to  make 
you  insensible  of  your  affliction  in  the  death  of  the 
great  man  who  has  fallen  in  this  Israel.  While  crea- 
tures decay  and  die,  '*  the  Creator  of  the  ends  of  the 
earth  feintcth  not,  neither  is  weary  ;  there  is  no  search- 
ing of  his  understanding."  Immutable  in  his  nature, 
unfrustrable  in  his  designs,  "  his  council  shall  stand, 
and  he  will  do  all  his  pleasure."  The  loss  of  no  in- 
strument, the  loss  of  no  set  of  instruments,  shall  render 
his  purpose  of  none  effect ;  "  the  thoughts  of  his  heart 
endure  to  all  generations."     Separate  from  his  bless- 

*  The  Rev.  Mr.  Tupjicn,  Mr.  Jay's  predecessor. 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  83 

ing  no  good  can  be  done  ;  and,  as  all  success  depends 
on  him,  lie  can  work  with  one  as  well  as  with  another. 
"  Who  then  is  Paul  and  who  is  Apollos,  but  ministers 
by  whom  ye  believed,  even  as  the  Lord  gave  to  every 
man  ?  So  then  neither  is  he  that  planteth  anything, 
nor  he  that  watereth,  but  God  that  giveth  the  increase. 
Now  he  that  planteth  and  he  that  watereth  are  one ; 
and  every  man  shall  receive  his  own  reward  according 
to  his  own  labor." 

On  this  occasion  I  suppose  it  is  expected  that  several 
things  will  be  delivered  relative  to  myself;  and  be- 
lieving that  it  is  not  only  looked  for  but  desired,  I 
have  no  objection  to  it. 

Fully  satisfied  that  personal  religion  is  necessary  to 
perform  every  office  in  the  church  with  propriety,  I 
should  not  have  entered  on  the  ministerial  work  in 
general,  or  the  pastoral  charge  in  particular,  without 
some  satisfactory  hope  that  God  had  called  me  by  his 
grace,  and  revealed  his  Son  in  me.  An  early  dedica- 
tion to  God  made  way  for  an  early  dedication  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry.  I  cannot  help  tracing  the  hand 
of  God  in  the  whole  of  this  affair.  Born  to  no  secular 
honor,  possessed  of  no  fortune,  bred  up  in  the  shade 
of  obscurity,  I  had  not  the  least  qualification  for  the 
work,  or  the  least  probability  of  being  brought  into  it. 
But  the  Lord  by  providential  circumstances  opened 
the  door,  and  I  was  placed  under  the  care  of  my  dear 
and  honored  tutor,  Mr.  Winter,  the  best  friend  I  ever 
had ;  to  whose  character  I  would  bear  my  public  testi- 
mony ;  whose  amiable  temper,  generous  disposition, 
condescending  carriage,  unceasing  friendship  I  could 
enlarge  upon  with  pleasure  were  I  not  forbid  by  his 
presence  ;  properties  which,  having  been  displayed  in 


84  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

general,  and  in  particular  towards  me,  will  ever  render 
his  memory  dear,  and  apologize  for  my  feelings  on  the 
present  occasion. 

By  him  I  was  gradually  introduced  to  the  ministry, 
and  went  out  preaching  from  place  to  place  as  oppor- 
tunity offered,  refusing  offers  of  settlement  on  account 
of  my  age,  and  satisfied  that  in  due  time  the  Lord 
would  make  plain  the  way,  and  open  a  door  for  stated 
labor.  And  I  cannot  help  concluding  that  he  has 
made  plain  the  way  to,  and  opened  a  door  in,  this 
place  ;  our  attachment  has  been  mutual  from  the  be- 
ginning, our  affection  has  increased  upon  acquaintance, 
and  I  hope  -our  love  will  flourish  through  time,  and 
shine  bright  to  all  eternity. 

As  I  have  believed,  so  have  I  spoken.  I  have 
advanced  no  doctrine  from  the  pulpit  which  I  was 
not  satisfied  of  in  my  mind ;  nor  have  I  kept  back 
from  you  anything  that  I  conceived  profitable  for  you 
to  know.  I  never  aimed  to  deliver  my  ideas  to  you 
in  ambiguous  terms.  I  never  thought  I  had  a  tongue 
given  me  to  cloak  my  creed  and  puzzle  people.  What 
I  have  embraced  as  true,  I  have  without  fear  or  shame 
openly  avowed.  Therefore  you  must  fully  know  my 
doctrine  already ;  however  ready  "  always  to  give  an 
answer  to  every  man  that  asketh  a  reason  of  the  hope 
that  is  in  me  with  meekness  and  fear."  "  Moreover, 
brethren,  I  declare  unto  you  the  gospel  which  I  have 
preached  unto  you,  which  also  you  have  received,  and 
wherein  ye  stand,  by  which  also  ye  are  saved  if  ye 
keep  in  memory  what  I  preached  unto  you,  unless  ye 
have  believed  in  vain." 

"  He  that  cometh  unto  God  must  believe  that  he  is." 
This  is  the  foundation  of  all  religion.     If  there  be  no 


THE   EEV.    WILLIAM   JAY.  85^ 

God,  tliere  is  no  divine  law  ;  if  there  be  no  divine  law, 
tliere  is  no  difference  between  virtue  and  vice  ;  and  if 
there  be  no  difference  between  virtue  and  vice,  mo- 
rality can  only  be,  considered  in  the  highest  light,  a 
civil  thing  established  bj  human  authority. 

Without  an  overruling  providence  we  can  have  no 
confidence  in  the  Supreme  Being :  if  saints,  we  shall 
want  the  principal  solace  in  adversity  ;  if  sinners,  we 
shall  want  the  principal  restraint  in  prosperity.  K  we 
pervert  this  necessary  doctrine  by  denying  a  particular 
providence,  we  destroy  a  particular  confidence,  a  par- 
ticular source  of  comfort,  a  particular  motive  to  duty, 
and  give  our  actions  only  a  general  rule  of  reference. 

As  we  "believe  in  God,  we  must  beheve  also  in 
Jesus  Christ."  Man  stands  related  to  God  and  his 
neighbor.  The  Divine  law  considers  him  in  this  light, 
and  requires  him  to  love  the  one  with  all  his  heart, 
and  the  other  as  himself.  By  considering  his  relation 
to  God  as  his  Creator  and  Preserver,  he  may  discover 
how  destitute  he  is  of  that  love,  reverence,  gratitude, 
and  obedience  he  owes  to  him  as  his  Benefactor,  By 
considering  his  relation  to  his  neighbor,  he  may  dis- 
cover  how  destitute  he  is  of  that  charity  and  justice 
which  he  owes  to  him  as  a  brother.  Thus  he  finds  him- 
self a  transgTessor,  is  led  to  acknowledge  his  desert, 
and  is  brought  to  perceive  those  doctrines  by  which 
the  religion  of  Christianity  is  distinct  from,  and  sa- 
perior  to,  the  rehgion  of  nature. 

The  religion  of  Christianity  in  whole  and  part,  re- 
spects man  as  fallen  ;  by  which  I  mean  a  blind,  weak, 
guilty,  miserable  creature.  Therefore  the  depravity 
of  man  is  a  very  material  article  in  an  evangelical 
creed ;  and  it  is  an  article  no  less  necessary  to  be  be- 


86  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

licved,  than  easy  to  be  proved,  demonstrated  through 
every  age,  in  every  country,  by  every  person.  The 
corruption  is  universal — no  part  remains  uninjured. 
It  is  the  cause  of  all  actual  transgi'ession.  The  evil 
practice  of  the  life  proceeds  from  the  desperately  wicked 
and  deceitful  heart ;  the  tree  being  bad  the  fruit  is 
bad ;  the  spring  being  corrupt  the  streams  are  corrupt 
also.  Our  pride  is  the  cause  of  all  "  the  filthiness  of 
the  spirit,"  and  the  dominion  of  sense  of  all  "  the 
filthiness  of  the  flesh."  By  the  one  we  are  alienated 
from  God,  by  the  other  attached  to  the  earth.  From 
hence  arises  that  impotency  which  the  Scripture  at- 
tributes to  us,  by  which  we  are  incapable  of  faith,  re- 
pentance, and  holiness.  If  we  give  up  the  doctrine 
of  the  fall,  we  preclude  all  possibility  of  recovery, 
like  a  disordered  man  who  imagines  he  is  well,  and 
therefore  refuses  the  medicine  which  would  recover 
him  from  the  sad  effects  of  his  maladj^  But.  if  we  are 
truly  convinced  that  we  are  sinners,  and  are  unable  to 
deliver  ourselves,  we  shall  be  suitably  disposed  for  "  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord." 
This  knowledge  relates  to  what  he  vi,  and  represents 
him  to  us  as  "the  true  God  and  eternal  life,"  as  made 
in  "  the  form  of  a  servant,"  and  "  manifested  in  the 
flesh."  Hence  his  name  is  "  "Wonderful,"  because, 
while  he  is  the  "  Child-born,"  and  the  "  Son-given"  he 
is  also  "  the  Everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace." 
He  is  divine,  as  well  as  human  ;  and  the  same  thing 
which  proves  him  to  be  the  one  proves  him  to  be  the 
other  ;  allowing  the  word  of  truth  to  be  judge,  I  could 
as  well  deny  that  he  was  the  man,  as  that  he  was  God. 
To  deny  the  deity  of  Christ  is  the  same  in  revealed 
religion  as  to  deny  the  being  of  a  God  in  natural  re- 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  87 

ligion.  It  is  the  foundation  ;  remove  it,  and  tlie  su- 
perstructure falls  ;  the  doctrines  are  unintelligible,  the 
promises  vain,  the  precepts  weak  in  their  motive,  im- 
pertinent in  their  application,  and  inoperative  in  their 
influence.  But  that  he  is  the  "Lord  God  Almighty" 
is  the  belief  of  my  mind,  and  the  rejoicing  of  my 
heart.  There  is  no  name  by  which  "  the  living  and 
true  Grod"  diifers  from  "false  and  dumb  idols  ;"  there  is 
no  perfection  by  which  the  "  Grod  over  all"  is  known 
from  "  the  lords  many,  and  the  gods  many  ;"  there  is 
no  act  of  worship  by  which  the  "  Most  High"  is  dis- 
tinguished from  "the  powers  which  are"  receiving 
ceremonious  respect  and  civil  adoration  ;  there  is  no 
work  by  which  "  the  Creator"  can  be  discriminated 
from  "the  creature,"  as  to  nature,  providence,  grace, 
or  glory,  that  is  not  ascribed  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
The  Gospel  relates  to  what  he  did.  It  contains  his 
history  from  the  throne  to  the  cross,  and  from  the 
cross  back  to  the  throne.  It  represents  him  as  under- 
taking to  remove  our  sins,  according  to  his  address  to 
his  Father  as  he  comes  into  the  world,  "  Sacrifice  and 
offerings  thou  hast  not  required ;  then  said  I,  Lo,  I 
come  to  do  thy  will,  0  God  ;"  "  by  the  which  will  wc 
are  sanctified  through  the  offering  up  of  the  body  of 
Jesus  Christ."  It  discovers  him  to  us  as  "  wounded 
for  our  transgressions,  bruised  for  our  iniquities,  de- 
livered for  our  offences,  and  rising  again  for  our  justifica- 
tion." He  has  realized  ^\■hat  the  various  victims  under 
the  law  only  typified.  They  made  their  appearance  to 
show  their  inefficiency,  and  to  convince  "  the  comers 
thereunto"  that  they  stood  in  need  of  a  better  sacrifice- 
because  they  could  not  take  away  sin.  But  he,  by  the 
once  offering  up  of  himself,  has  forever  perfected  them 


88  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

that  are  sanctified,  so  that  "  there  remains  no  other," 
and  there  needs  no  oilier  "  sacrifice  ;"  by  him  all  that 
believe  "  are  justified  freely  from  all  things." 

The  doctrine  of  the  Atonement,  not  in  the  reserved 
ambiguous  way  in  which  many  use  the  term  who  deny 
the  thing,  but  "  Christ  dying  for  our  sins,"  in  the  proper 
sense  of  the  expression,  I  consider  as  that  which  con- 
stitutes the  good  news,  or  glad  tidings,  which  the 
word  "Gospel"  signifies.  It  is  a  great  advantage,  that 
by  the  Gospel  we  have  so  plain  and  perfect  a  system 
of  duty  ;  but  it  is  a  degradation  of  it  to  suppose  it 
was  only  designed  to  republish  the  law  of  nature.  The 
intent  of  the  Gospel  is  indeed  to  recover  us  to  true 
holiness  ;  but  for  this  purj)ose  there  was  need  of  some- 
thing more  than  a  revelation  of  moral  obligation, 
which  is  set  forth  by  the  apostle  :  "  Our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ  gave  himself  for  us  that  he  might  redeem  us 
from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar 
people  zealous  of  good  works."  Restoration  to  the 
Divine  favor  was  the  first  thing  to  be  provided  for 
and  W'Ould,  of  course,  be  the  first  concern  of  every 
man  as  soon  as  he  found  he  was  "guilty  before  God." 
To  what  purpose  to  lay  before  a  convinced  sinner  a 
rule  of  duty  without  giving  him  a  ground  of  hope  ? 
Discover  to  him  pardon  for  past  sins,  and  assistance 
for  future  obedience,  and  then  such  a  rule  would  be 
seasonable ;  and  this  is  the  order  in  which  the  Gospel 
proceeds,  as  preached  by  the  apostle :  "  And  all  things 
are  of  God,  who  hath  reconciled  us  to  himself  by 
Jesus  Christ,  and  hath  given  to  us  the  ministry  of 
reconciliation,  to  wit,  that  God  was  in  Christ  reconcil- 
ing the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  tres- 
passes unto  them.     Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM   JAY.  89 

Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us ;  we  pray 
you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God.  For 
he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us  who  knew  no  sin, 
that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in 
him." 

There  is  no  other  scheme  of  doctrine  which  deserves 
even  the  name  of  Gospel.  Suppose  the  Gospel  to  be 
only  a  system  of  morality  requiring  that  we  should 
"  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him  in  love."  Here 
is  no  good  news  for  the  sinner.  He  has  no  inclination 
or  ability  to  be  sanctified  throughout  body,  soul,  and 
spirit.  Suppose  the  Gospel  treats  principally  of  the 
resurrection.  Here  is  no  good  news  for  the  sinner. 
He  is  not  delighted  with  the  idea  of  rising  again — ^he 
would  rather  remain  in  the  grave  forever.  Suppose 
the  Gospel  only  brings  "immortality  to  light."  Here 
is  no  good  news  for  the  sinner.  He  is  not  pleased 
with  the  thought  of  eternal  duration — he  would  rather 
cease  his  continuance.  Supj)ose  the  Gospel  only  a 
promise  of  pardon  and  life,  on  condition  of  faith  and 
repentance.  Here  is  no  good  news  for  the  sinner. 
It  is  bad  news  ;  his  desire  is  only  irritated  to  be 
disappointed — like  a  person  engaging  to  give  me  an 
estate  if  I  will  fly  to  the  moon.  Or  suppose  the  Gos- 
pel to  be  a  revelation  of  absolute  mercy  as  ready  to 
pardon  iniquity.  Even  here  is  no  good  news  for  the 
sinner,  unless  he  can  see  a  way  in  which  it  can  come 
to  him  agreeable  to  the  character  which  the  Scripture 
has  led  him  to  entertain  of  God.  "  God  is  holy  in  all 
his  ways,  and  righteous  in  all  his  works."  Whatever 
favors  he  confers  as  a  benefactor,  he  must  preserve  his 
claims  as  ?.  legislator.  Therefore  when  I  begin  to  be 
delightei   with  the   glad  tidings  of  mercy,    saying, 


90  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF 

Sparc  him,  bless  him  1  I  am  terrified  again  by  the  Ian- 
gua,2;e  of  Justice,  Cut  him  oflf,  destroy  him !     It  is  evi- 
dent the  one,  as  well  as  the  other,  exists, — the  one,  as 
well  as  the  other,  has  its  claim.     In  this  case,  Mercy 
sliows  me  the  tree  of  life ;  Justice  stands  with  flaming 
sword  to  guard  it  from  approach.     If  we  say  that  we 
should  take  tlie  declaration  of  God,  that  he  will  par- 
don iniquity  without  any  other  consideration,  and  be 
satisfied  of  his  doing  it ;  why  may  we  not  say,  that 
we  should  take  the  declaration  that  he  will  punish  in- 
iquity without  any  other  consideration,  and  be  satis- 
fied of  his  doing  it?     Shall  we  make  the  Divine  per- 
fections anything  or  nothing,  magnifying  one  and  de- 
preciating another  ?     Is  the  Divine  law  to  vary  in  its 
demand  and  fail  in  its  execution  ?     Shall  we  weaken 
its  authority  by  dispensing  witb  its  penalty  ?  We  can- 
not do  this ;  for  if  the  penalty  be  founded  in  the  fit- 
ness of  things,  and  agreeable  to  the  Divine  perfections ; 
(and  unless  it  was  so,  God  would  never  have  appointed 
it,)  it  follows,  that  not  only  we  but  God  himself  cannot 
dispense  with  it  any  more  than  with  the  whole  law. 
I  think  no  man  can  rationally  hope  for  pardon  unless 
he  can  see  a  way  in  which  God  can  do  it  as  Ood,  and 
be  "-faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  iniquity."     Such  a  scheme  is  the 
Gospel;  it  reveals   a  free,  rich,  righteous   salvation 
through  Jesus  Christ,    "  set  forth  as  a  propitiation  for 
sin,  througli  faith  in  his  blood."     Hence  it  answers  its 
name ;  it  is  good  news,  glad  tidings.     It  would  be 
easy  to  illustrate  this  view  of  the  Gospel.     If  there 
was  a  man  in  debt,  and  I  told  him  a  surety  had  dis- 
charged him, — if  the-e  was  a  man  perishing  for  want, 
and  I  told  him  of  provision, — if  there  was  a  man  des- 


THE  REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  91 

titLite  of  clothing,  and  I  told  him  of  raiment,— or  if 
there  was  a  condemned  man,  and  I  told  him  of  liberty 
and  life ;  who  does  not  see  in  each  case  that  here 
would  be  good  news  ?  Sinner,  "  behold,  I  bring  thee 
glad  tidings  of  great  joy."  Sinner,  indebted  to  Di- 
vine justice  having  nothing  to  pay,  behold  "  the  Surety 
of  a  better  covenant,"  "the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world."  Sinner,  perishing  with 
hunger,  behold  "  the  bread  of  Hfe,  whereof  if  a  man 
eat  he  shall  never  die."  Naked  soul,  here  is  "  fine 
raiment  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed  ;  that  the  shame 
of  thy  nakedness  may  not  appear."  And  thou,  poor 
wretch,  writing  bitter  things  against  thyself,  condemned 
by  the  holy  law,  crying,  Where  shall  I  flee  for  refuge  ? 
"  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be 

saved." 

In  order  that  the  Gospel  might  be  of  advantage  to 
us,  faith  is  necessary.  In  whatever  way  the  blessings 
of  salvation  are  represented,  faith  is  requisite  to  a 
proper  enjoyment  of  them.  One  should  imagine  that 
benefits  calculated  to  relieve  our  wants,  and  make  us 
eternally  happy,  presented  to  us  in  the  Gospel,  would 
be  eagerly  embraced.  But  this  is  far  from  being  the 
case.  The  pride  of  the  human  heart  scorns  to  stoop, 
it  hates  obligation,  it  affects  an  independence.  It  will 
not  submit  to  the  righteousness  v/hich  is  of  God ;  it 
would  rather  patch  up  a  shelter  than  "  fly  for  refuge 
to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  it  in  the  Gospel." 

Therefore  the  operation  of  the  Spirit  is  necessary. 
This  is  one  of  the  principal  glories  of  the  evangelical 
dispensation  ;  and  it  shall  be  my  endeavor  to  show  my 
hearers  that  their  regeneration,  advance  in  holiness, 
support  under  trouble,  final  perseverance,  everlasting 


92  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

triumpli  over  all  the  cursed  effects  of  sin,  depend  on 
the  agency  of  the  lloly  Spirit.     Eevelation  is  no  soon- 
er admitted  than  reason  confirms  this  truth.     We  al- 
low that  the  miraculous  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
have  ceased,  because  their  necessity  has  ceased — but 
we  affirm  that  his  ordinary  operations  continue,  because 
the  necessity  of  them  continues.     Why  was  the  Spirit 
given  forth  upon  the  folio  wers  of  the  Apostles  ?     To 
sanctify  them.     Have  we  less  need  or  more  ability  for 
sanctification  than  they  had  ?     It  was  given  to  "  shed 
abroad  the  love  of  God  in  their  hearts."     Have  we 
more  spiritual,  more  fervent  affections  ?     It  was  given 
to  help  their  infirmities.     Have  we  less  weakness  ?   It 
was  given  to  bear  witness  with  their  spirits  that  they 
were  the  children  of  God.     Have  we  no  need  of  this 
testimony  to  assure  our  hearts  before  him  ?     To  deny 
the  influences  of  the  Spirit  is  to  relax  the  energy  of 
the  Gospel,  and  turn  the  church  into  a  valley  of  dry 
bones.     To  suppose  an  innate  efficacy  in  the  word  to 
produce  faith  is  to  suppose  an  innate  virtue  in  the  sun 
to  produce  a  plant.     The  seed  must  be  there  previous- 
ly before  the  one  or  the  other  can  bring  forth  fruit. 
To  talk  of  the  fitness  of  things,  the  beauty  of  virtue, 
the  union  of  moral  and  natural  good  and  evil,  is  good 
in  its  nature  and  true  in  its  fact ;  and  upon  men  who 
are  truly  wise  and  well-disposed  may  have  influence  ; 
but  this  is  not  forcible  enough  to  disentangle  the  heart 
which  is  already  an  enemy  to  reason,  allied  to  vice, 
sunk  in  sensuality,  enslaved  by  appetite  and  passion. 
To  produce  faith  is  solely  the  prerogative  of  God  ;  we 
own,  indeed,  that  the  word  is  a  mean  in  his  hand,  but 
deny  that  it  possesses  any  power  to  do  it  independent 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.     The  Gospel,  therefore  is  called 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  93 

"  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,"  because  his  influence 
renders  it  efficacious,  and  continues  to  make  it  an  in- 
strument of  operation  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

Holiness  is  necessary  to  present  peace  and  future 
glory.  "  Without  it  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord  ;"  and 
so  far  is  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  from  opposing  this 
truth,  that  Jesus  Christ  crucified  is  the  principle  and 
end  of  it.  The  man  who  believes  in  him  believes  in 
him  for  righteousness.  While  he  disclaims  merit  he 
delights  in  gratitude ;  and  it  is  his  desire  and  endeavor 
to  "  walk  before  God  in  holiness  and  righteousness  all 
the  days  of  his  life."  He  is  as  much  distinguished  by 
his  practice  as  by  his  creed — his  works  are  evidential 
of  his  faith,  and  his  faith  is  the  spring  of  his  works  ; 
for  in  order  to  all  true  holiness,  pride  and  the  domin- 
ion of  sense  must  be  destroyed.  And  what  can  de- 
troy  the  one  or  the  other?  Nothing  ever  has,  no- 
thing ever  will,  nothing  ever  can,  but  faith  in  Christ 
crucified.  Every  other  scheme  of  doctrine  which  has 
spread  in  the  world  has  tended  to  promote  one  or  the 
other.  But  the  believer,  from  his  union  with  the 
Saviour,  experiences  the  gradual  destruction  of  both, 
according  to  the  words  of  the  Apostle,  "  I  am  crucified 
with  Christ,  nevertheless  I  live,  yet  not  I  but  Christ 
liveth  in  me :  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh, 
I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me 
and  gave  himself  for  me." 

As  it  is  the  work  of  God,  and  he  does  nothing  in 
time  v/'hich  he  did  not  design  to  do  from  eternity,  sal- 
vation is  his  own  eternal  purpose,  and  the  effect  of 
his  gracious  sovereignty  ;  "  according  as  he  hath  cho- 
sen us  in  him,  that  Vv^e  should  be  holy  and  without 
blame  before  him  in  love ;  having  predestinated  us 


94  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

unto  the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesns  Christ  to  him- 
self according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  -will,  to  the 
praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace."  And  as  his  pur- 
pose, and  the  promises  which  are  the  discovery  of  it, 
cannot  be  broken,  "  the  righteous  shall  hold  on  his 
Avay,  and  he  that  hath  clean  hands  shall  wax  stronger 
and  stronger," 

EXTKACT  FROM  THE  CHARGE  TO  THE  REV.  WILLIAM 
JAY,  BY  THE  REV.  CORNELIUS  WINTER. 

If  you  can  stand  np  in  this  pulpit,  or  elsewhere,  and 
proclaim,  "  I  certify  you,  bretliren,  that  the  Gospel 
which  was  preached  of  me,  and  which  I  now  preach, 
is  not  after  man,  for  I  neither  received  it  of  any  man, 
neither  was  I  tauglit  but  by  the  revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ,"  you  will  disappoint  many  v.dio  are  watching 
for  your  halting,  and  some  too  of  those  who,  while 
they  are  praying  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  that  he  would 
thrust  forth  m.ore  laborers  into  the  harvest,  arc  wait- 
ing for  a  conviction  that  he  has  not  commissioned 
you. 

Let  them  turn  in  hither,  and  with  little  pains  they 
may  perceive  that  "  a  great  door  and  effectual  is  opened 
unto  you."  It  admits  you  into  the  work  of  God  under 
the  most  promising  circumstances.  You  are  not  want- 
ing in  abilities  for  it.  You  have  zeal  for  God  accord- 
ing to  knowledge.  You  follow  a  predecessor  who  in 
all  things  showed  himself  a  pattern  of  good  works ; 
in  doctrine,  none  more  evidently  could  show  uncor- 
ruptness,  gravity,  sincerity,  sound  speech  that  cannot 
be  condemned.  I  add,  you  follow  a  man  whose  very 
reserve  furnished  something  for  imitation,  whose  re- 


THE   EEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  95 

spect  deepened  and  widened  in  the  minds  of  his  friends, 
as  time  extended  the  years  of  intimacy.  That  you 
may  follow  him  as  he  followed  Christ,  and  contribute, 
at  least,  to  the  advance  of  that  work  towards  a  glorious 
perfection  which  he  was  the  instrument  of  begin- 
ning, is  my  fervent  prayer,  as  to  see  its  progress  will 
be  a  matter  of  my  praise  to  God.  If  you  follow  your 
predecessor,  or  imitate  him  in  the  different  parts  of 
administration,  your  whole  performances  will  be  at- 
tended with  "  an  odor  of  a  sweet  smell."  No  part  of 
your  duty  will  be  neglected.  Like  him,  you  will  know 
when,  and  where,  and  how  long  to  visit.  The  child 
and  the  man  of  hoary  hairs  will  engage  your  atten- 
tion ;  and  whenever  you  go,  "  the  word  of  Christ"  will 
flow  freely  from  you,  as  well  as  "  dwell  richly  in  you." 
By  all  means  have  the  eye  of  your  mind  fixed  upon 
children  and  young  people.  Labor  in  an  especial 
m^anner  to  do  them  good.  Perhaps  you  will  not  find 
it  practicable  to  carry  on  a  continued  discourse,  but 
always  have  a  few  weighty  sentences  to  direct  to  them 
seasonably  dropped.  In  an  especial  manner  I  charge 
you,  take  care  of  one*  whom  my  affection  would 
prompt  me  to  mention  by  name  ;  have  a  son  by  adop- 
tion before  one  is  born  to  you,  and  watch  for  his  soul 
as  one  that  must  give  an  account. 

Young  people  are  quick  in  apprehension,  and  at- 
tentive in  observing  what  is  adopted  in  conversation 
before  them.  Remember  this  when  you  sit  in  com- 
pany with  your  friends,  and  however  cheerfal  you 
may  be  in  the  tenor  of  conversation,  leave  no  room  for 
them  to  make  a  reflection  to  this  effect — that  the  lib- 
erties you  take  in  descanting  upon  characters  are  un- 

*  The  late  Mr.  Tuppen's  son. 


96        AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF  THE   REV.  WILLIAM  JAY. 

becoming  the  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  the 
levity  of  the  social  intercourse  is  incompatible  with  the 
gravity  the  minister  should  support.  Be  cautious  of 
becoming  the  retailer  of  idle  or  evil  reports,  even  when 
justly  grounded  and  deserving  of  credit;  leave  that 
unforbidden  business,  and  show  your  friends  that  such 
a  current  is  too  filthy  for  the  purity  of  your  mind. 
You  cannot  with  becoming  confidence  inculcate  "  Speak 
evil  of  no  man,"  unless  you  are  careful  to  avoid  being 
a  partaker  of  the  same  sin.  The  minister  had  better 
sit  in  awkward  silence,  or  abruptly  depart  from  the 
company,  than  keep  up  the  spirit  of  conversation  in 
this  way.  This  hint  may  be  taken  as  characteristic  of 
that  prudence  and  discretion  which  I  would  largely 
recommend  and  enforce  in  relation  to  the  whole  of 
your  deportment  towards  this  society,  the  neighboring 
churches,  towards  mankind  at  large.  Indeed,  my  dear 
friend,  you  will  want  it  as  the  guide  of  your  youth, 
and  the  companion  of  3-our  life.  As  the  wisdom  that 
is  from  above  entereth  into  thine  heart,  and  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Avill  of  God  is  pleasant  unto  thy  soul,  "  dis- 
cretion shall  preserve  thee,  understanding  shall  keep 
thee ;"  and  if  life  is  continued  to  that  long  period  to 
which  my  wishes  extend,  it  will  then  admit  of  a  re- 
view, which,  as  often  as  it  is  taken,  will  excite  thanks- 
giving to  God. 


LETTER    VIII. 

HIS   KE8IDEN0E   AT   BATH: PREDILECTIONS   FOR  : — CIRCUMSTANCES 

OF  THE  CONGREGATION  : HARMONY  : ADMISSION  OF  MEMBERS. 

My  DEAR  Children, — You  have  seen  me  inducted 
into  my  new,  and  which,  has  proved  my  permanent, 
and  is  likely  to  prove  my  final  ecclesiastical  connection. 
Though  the  charm  of  novelty  soon  wore  oif,  the  con- 
gregation still  increased.  The  place  has  three  times 
been  enlarged,  yet  in  its  present  extent  it  is  too  small 
to  meet  applications  for  pews  and  sittings.  During  the 
lengthened  period  of  my  pastoral  relation  how  many 
have  I  admitted  into  the  church  who  have  adorned 
their  profession !  How  many  have  I  also  attended 
to  the  house  appointed  for  all  living !  How  much 
precious  dust  is  reposing  in  my  burying-ground  ! 
"  The  fathers,  where  are  they  ?"  and  our  brethren  too  ? 
yea,  and  the  sons,  "  as  plants  grown  up  in  their  j^outh"  ? 
and  the  daughters,  "as  comer-stones  polished  after  the 
similitude  of  a  palace"  ?  where  are  all  these  ?  I,  too, 
can  "  go  to  the  grave  to  weep  there — ■!  also." 

My  soul  desireth  the  first  ripe  fruit ;  yet  we  have  no 
reason  to  despond,  but  much  cause  to  be  thankful. 
Instead  of  the  fathers  are  the  children.  As  many  in 
the  ranks  have  fallen,  others  have  been  baptized  for 
the  dead.     The  house  is  filled  with  inhabitants.     The 

5 


98  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

table  is  furnished  with  guests.  Peace  is  within  the 
walls,  and  prosperity  within  the  palace. 

It  is  worthy  of  grateful  acknowledgment,  especially 
considering  the  restless  and  disorganizing  times  in  which 
we  have  lived,  and  the  discords  and  divisions  in  so 
many  churches,  that  the  harmony  of  this  religious  in- 
terest has  never  been  broken.  Yet  thei'e  have  been 
considerable  differences  of  judgment  with  regard  to 
some  measures,  and  of  opinion  with  regard  to  some 
subjects  ;  and  we  have  not  only  had  mixed  communion, 
but  have  extended  full  membership  and  even  ofl&ce- 
bearing  to  our  Baptist  friends.  Yet  there  has  been  no 
jar.  "  The  dipped  and  the  sprinkled  have  dwelt  in 
peace."  Bigotry  on  any  side  is  not  to  be  conquered 
by  bigotry  on  the  other,  but  by  an  opposite  dispo- 
sition. This  continued  state  of  things  is  very  honor- 
able to  the  members  and  deacons  of  the  church,  and 
shows  that  ^^eiV  religion  has  reached  the  temper  as  well 
as  the  understanding,  and  inspired  them  with  the  meek- 
ness of  wisdom  to  pursue  "  things  by  which  one  may 
edily  another."  Should  it,  in  any  degree,  serve  to 
commend  the  pastor,  it  may  perhaps,  under  God,  be 
ascribed  to  his  preferring  influence  to  authority,  and 
resolving  to  take  no  part  in  any  party  difference  what- 
ever. 

You  know  I  always  loved  peace  as  well  as  truth, 
and  liberality,  and  order.  I  hardly  think  I  could 
have  taken  the  charge  of  any  church  that  indispeiisahly 
required  a  candidate  for  communion  to  deliver  before 
them  an  oral  account  of  his  conversion  and  experi- 
ence ;  or  to  send  in  a  written  one.  This  mode  of  ad- 
mission keeps  back  many  who  ought  to  be  encouraged 
to  come  forward.     Such  are  many  females ;  such  are 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  99 

the  Aveak  and  timid  in  spirit ;  .and  such  also  are  those 
whose  religion  has  been  so  gradual  as  to  yield  none 
of  those  striking  circumstances  which  a  narrative  loves 
and  seeks  after.  And  how  often  is  this  the  case  !  so 
that  the  convert  can  hardly  describe  anything  but  the 
result ;  like  a  man  with  a  plant,  who  sees  indeed  the 
growth,  while  the  growing  escapes  him.  With  us,  the 
minister,  or  one  of  the  officers,  or  one  of  the  members, 
converses  alone  with  the  individual,  and  reports  the 
nature  and  ground  of  his  satisfaction  at  the  church- 
meeting,  when  the  matter  is  left  for  a  month,  during 
which  inquiries  are  made  after  his  moral  character  and 
deportment;  at  the  end  of  which,  if  no  objection  is 
advanced,  he  is  admitted.  We  are  not  qualified  to 
judge  the  heart.  We  are  to  be  influenced  by  favor- 
able appearances,  and  should  always  lean  to  the  side 
of  charity  rather  than  of  suspicion.  Some  may  think 
this  rather  dangerous,  and  affect  to  be  alarmed  for  the 
purity  of  the  church  ;  but  we  have  had  from  the  be- 
ginning few,  very  few  instances  of  excommunication 
or  suspension  compared  with  the  exactors  of  more 
rigid  church  discipline.  The  truth  is,  their  requisition 
never  keeps  back  any  improper  person  who  wishes  and 
is  resolved  to  enter.  The  condition  is  a  cheap  pass- 
port which  he  can  easily  procure,  so  many  conversions 
and  experiences  being  published  and  sold.* 

A  little  before  my  ordination  an  event  took  place 
the  most  interesting  to  my  happiness,  character  and 
usefulness.  I  was  united  to  one  of  the  best  of  women. 
This  was  Anne,  the  eldest  daughter  of  the  Eev.  Ed- 
ward Davies,  a  pious  and  evangelical  clergyman  of 

*  This  subject  is  noticed  again  in  Letter  XIX.,  where  we  have 
added  a  note. 


100  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

the  Establishment,  first  rector  of  Bengeworth,  Wor- 
cestershire, and  afterwards  of  Coy  Church.  My  ac- 
quaintance with  her  commenced  at  my  first  visit  to 
London.  Mr.  Winter  being  acquainted  with  her  ex- 
cellent father,  and  knowing  that  he  then  resided  near 
Surrey  Chapel,  wrote  a  letter  to  introduce  me  to  him, 
and  to  beg  that  he  would  kindly  notice  me,  and  give 
me  any  hints  of  improvement  he  might  deem  neces- 
sary. I  soon  called  and  delivered  it.  It  was  then  for 
the  first  time  I  saw  Miss  Davies.  During  the  eight 
weeks  I  was  preaching  at  Surrey  Chapel,  I  was  often 
invited  to  the  house,  and  you  will  not  wonder  if  some- 
times I  contrived  to  call  without  an  invitation,  for  I 
felt  a  pleasing  and  powerful  attraction.  Yet  I  was 
able  to  act  under  the  impression  with  some  prudence. 
I  concealed  my  affection  as  much  as  possible,  till  I  had 
more  fully  observed,  and  found  that  observation  justi- 
fied and  increased  attachment.  Yet  I  returned  into 
the  country,  and  paid  another  visit  to  Surrey  Chapel 
before  I  ventured  to  make  any  direct  advances.  I  had 
some  reason  to  hope  that  my  regard  woidd  not  be  con- 
temned by  the  young  lady  herself.  But  there  were 
parental  difl&culties  to  be  overcome,  which  I  can  much 
more  easily  appreciate  and  excuse  now  than  I  could 
then.  I  had  no  patrimony  ;  as  yet  I  had  nothing  like 
an  official  provision,  or  even  proper  settlement.  I  was 
indeed  much  followed  as  a  preacher,  but  it  was  justly 
said  that  popularity  was  very  dangerous  and  corrupt- 
ing ;  that  many  had  fallen  by  it ;  that  I  was  very 
young,  and  my  character  unformed,  and  as  yet  untried. 
Waiting,  of  course,  was  therefore  recommended  ;  and, 
as  an  absolute  refusal  was  not  given,  the  counsel  was 
more  easily  followed. 


THE   EEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  101 

My  intended  must  have  deemed  me  ratlier  an  awk- 
ward lover,  and  not  a  very  satisfactory  correspondent, 
for  I  always  disliked  letter- writing,  and  I  had  little 
leisure  for  courting  by  post.  A  part  of  what  some  of 
her  sex  would  have  deemed  wanting  with  me,  was,  I 
can  truly  say,  the  effect  of  design  and  principle.  I 
always  felt  for  women  who  are  flattered  to  adoration 
before  marriage,  and  obliged  to  put  up  with  at  least 
comparative  neglect  and  indifference  afterwards  ;  and 
I  resolved  to  raise  no  expectations  which  I  could  not 
hope  to  realize,  and  not  suffer  the  husband  to  belie 
and  disgrace  the  suitor.  I  am,  &c. 


LETTER  IX. 

HIS   MARRIAGE  : — HIS   OIIILDRKN  : — DEATH  OF  niS    SON  WILLIAM  : — 
AND  OF  HIS    DAUGnTEK  STATIRA. 

My  dear  CniLDREisr, — It  is  one  of  the  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances wbicli,  without  any  contrivance  and  pur- 
pose of  my  own,  have  attended  me  through  life,  that, 
after  another  year  of  faith  and  patience  (neither  of 
these  graces  being  very  perfect),  and  just  as  I  was 
going  to  settle  in  Bath,  Mr.  Davies  having  a  dispensa- 
tion for  non-residence  at  his  living,  accepted  the  curacy 
of  Batheaston,  a  pleasant  village,  only  two  miles  from 
Bath.  Nothing  could  have  been  more  gratif)dng  to 
the  feelings,  and  more  friendly  to  the  intercourse  of 
the  young  party,  than  this  wholly  unexpected  approxi- 
mation of  residences.  Things  being  now  more  favor- 
able,  Mr.  Davies  soon  gave  his  consent ;  an;l  some 
time  after  I  went  to  London,  where  the  elect  was  on  a 
visit  to  her  most  intimate  friend,  Mrs.  Rowland  Hill. 
We  were  married  at  St.  Peter's,  Cor nh ill  (January  6, 
1791),  Mr,  Hill  performing  the  service.  In  returning 
to  Bath  we  paid  our  first  visit  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Winter 
at  Painswick. 

How  much  has  resulted  from  this  auspicious  con- 
nection for  which  I  can  never  sufficiently  praise  the 
providence  of  my  God  and  Father  !     How  far  I  have 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  103 

succeeded  it  does  not  become  me  to  attempt  to  deter- 
mine ;  but  of  this  I  am  conscious,  that  I  was  always 
desirous  and  anxious  to  be  a  good  husband  ;  nothing 
in  my  estimation  and  remarkings  ever  being  able  to 
atone  for  the  want  of  consistency  and  excellency 
here,  especially  in  a  minister.  But  I  must  have  been 
one  of  the  basest  of  men  had  I  not  always  endeavored 
to  act  worthily  towards  the  wife  of  my  youth,  to  whom 
I  am  under  so  many  obligations.  It  was  she  (for  we 
always  judge  of  the  whole  by  parts,  and  chiefly  by 
those  parts  with  which  we  are  most  acquainted),  it  was 
she  who  contributed  so  much  to  give  me  that  exalted 
idea  of  the  female  character  which  I  have  always  en- 
tertained and  expressed.  She  excluded  perfectly  the 
entrance  of  every  notion  and  feeling  of  submission  or 
authority,  so  that  we  had  no  rights  to  adjust,  or  duties 
to  regulate.  She  possessed  every  requisite  that  could 
render  her  a  helpmate.  Her  special  qualities  were  ad- 
mirably suited  to  my  defects.  She  had  an  extempo- 
raneous readiness  which  never  failed  her,  and  an  in- 
tuitive decisiveness  which  seemed  to  require  no  de- 
liberation. Her  domestic  virtues  rendered  my  house 
a  complete  home,  the  abode  of  neatness,  order,  punc- 
tuality, peace,  cheerfulness,  comfort,  and  attraction. 
She  calmed  my  brow  when  ruffled  by  disappointment 
or  vexation  ;  she  encouraged  me  when  depressed ;  she 
kept  off  a  thousand  cares,  and  left  me  free  to  attend  to 
the  voice  of  my  calling.  She  reminded  me  of  my  en- 
gagements when  I  was  forgetful,  and  stimulated  me 
when  I  was  remiss,  and  always  gently  enforced  the 
present  obligation,  as  "  the  duty  of  every  day  required." 
I  mention  this  the  more  not  only  to  express  my 
own  gratitude,  but  that  my  church  and  the  public,  if 


104  AUTOBIOGRAniY   OF 

they  have  derived  any  little  advantage  from  my  la- 
bors, may  see  how  much  of  it  they  owe  to  this  wise 
and  good  woman.  She  now  stood  in  the  additional 
relation  of  a  mother,  and  in  process  of  time  furnished 
me  with  a  most  lovely  family  of  six  children,  three  of 
each  sex,  who  "  rose  up  and  called  her  blessed," 

My  first-born  was  a  daughter,  and  named  Anne, 
after  her  mother.  She  seemed  one  of  those  who  are 
sanctified  from  the  womb;  and,  instead  of  being 
averse  to  any  of  the  duties  required  of  her  in  her 
training,  she  appeared  naturally  and  without  admoni- 
tion to  fall  in  with  tliem.  She  never  gave  us  pain 
but  by  her  own  j^ain.  When  she  was  only  seven 
years  old,  and  we  went  abroad  for  a  few  days,  not 
waiting  for  any  intimation  from  us,  the  little  creature 
read  a  chapter  and  a  prayer  every  morning  and  even- 
ing with  the  servant  and  the  nursemaid.  At  the  age 
of  sixteen  she  impressed  a  young  American  who  was 
travelling  through  England,  and,  bringing  letters  of 
introduction,  abode  for  a  short  time  at  our  house.  To 
liim  she  was  early  married,  and  brought  him  a  family 
of  no  less  than  thirteen  children.  They  are  all  yet 
spared  ;*  they  are  all  walking  in  the  truth,  adorning 
their  profession,  blessing  their  generation,  and  showing 
what  education,  by  the  grace  of  God,  may  accomplish. 
After  some  years  Mr.  Bolton  returned  to  the  United 
States  with  the  whole  of  his  family.     This  separation, 

*  Abby  Wolsey,  the  fifth  daughter,  has  since  been  gathered  to  her 
rest,  at  the  age  of  21 ;  a  memoir,  written  by  her  siater,  was  pub- 
lished, entitled  the  "  Lighted  Valley,"  (published  by  R.  Carter  & 
Brothers,  New  York,)  to  which  her  grandfather  added  a  preface, 
the  last  production  of  hia  pen  which,  we  believe,  has  been  given  to 
the  public. 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  105 

■whicli  could  not  be  viewed  but  as  probably  a  final 
parting  as  to  this  world,  was  one  of  the  greatest  trials 
of  mj  life.  Yet  there  were  things  which  prevented 
my  opposing  it,  -and  made  it  appear  to  be  the  path  of 
duty.  The  dispensation  has  already  had  issues  which 
serve  in  a  great  measure  to  explain  it,  while  it  seems 
also  pregnant  with  future  consequences  of  much  im- 
portance. The  marriage  itself  was  strange  and  mar- 
vellous. What  probability  was  there  that  a  young 
gentleman  from  another  quarter  of  the  globe,  first 
passing  through  Bath,  and  casually  seeing  her,  should 
have  been  united  in  marriage  to  my  daughter  ? 

One  thing  struck  me  much  in  this  affair  from  its  be- 
ginning. It  was  my  learning  that  he  who  asked  to 
become  my  son-in-law  was  himself  the  grandson  of  the 
pious  and  worthy  Mr.  Bolton,  merchant  of  Savannah, 
mentioned  with  so  much  respect  by  Mr.  Winter  in  one 
of  his  letters  to  me,  to  be  seen  in  my  life  of  him ;  for 
when  this  man  of  God  was  not  only  neglected  but  de- 
spised, hecause  he  had  gone  to  America'  purposely  to 
teach  and  Christianize  the  poor  negroes,  Mr.  Bolton 
received  and  encouraged  him,  and  accommodated  him 
with  a  room  in  which  he  could  instruct  his  sable  charge 
free  of  expense. 

After  awhile  my  son-in-law  joined  the  Episcopal 
Chtirch,  and  is  now  the  rector  of  St.  Paul's,  East 
Chester,  New  York,  where  his  labors  are  crowned 
with  much  acceptance  and  success.* 

*  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bolton,  with  part  of  their  family,  returned  to 
England  some  years  before  Mr.  Jay's  death,  and  had  the  melancholy 
satisfaction  of  attending  him  in  his  last  days.  Mr.  Bolton  is  now 
minister  of  the  chapel  built  by  the  late  Lord  Ducie  on  his  estate  in 
Gloucestershire.     Two  of  his  sons  are  ministers  in  the  Episcopal 

5* 


106  A-UTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

My  second  child  was  a  son,  named  after  m^^se^f. 
From  the  turn  of  his  mind,  when  he  had  fulfilled  his 
schooling,  he  was  apprenticed  to  an  architect  and  sur- 
veyor in  London,  where,  after  his  time  had  expired, 
he  continued  for  awhile,  and  then  went  to  Savannah 
in  Georgia.  There  he  was  employed  for  a  few  years ; 
when,  leaving  many  proofs  of  his  professional  ability 
behind  him,  he  returned  to  England.  After  several 
attempts  to  succeed  at  home,  he  went  out,  by  the  ap- 
pointment of  Lord  Glenelg,  on  government  service, 
to  the  Mauritius.  There  his  taste  and  talents  met 
with  full  encouragement,  and  his  prospects  were  very 
promising ;  but  he  was  cut  off  by  a  premature  death. 
A  little  before  his  own  dissolution  he  had  buried  a 
most  piouB  and  interesting  child,  whose  remains  lie  in 
the  same  grave  with  those  of  Mrs.  Newell,  the  wife  of 
the  American  missionary.  An  account  of  him  has 
been  published  tind  widely  circulated,  called  "Little 
Willy,"  drawn  up  by  his  mother,  to  which  I  prefixed 
a  preface.  Many,  as  well  as  myself,  can  testify  that 
what  is  said  of  him  is  not  maternal  lavishment,  but 
truth.  My  son  had  married  a  very  estimable  wife, 
Miss  Louisa  Coulston  of  Henley,  by  whom  he  had  two 
other  children  besides  "Little  Willy."  These  were 
left  to  be  the  care  and  comfort  of  the  wido^\■ed  mother, 
now  keeping  a  school  in  her  native  place.  My  son, 
besides  professional  talent  and  cleverness,  had  a  large 
share  of  wit  and  humor,  qualities  always  dangerous 
and  commonly  injurious  to  the  possessor.     So  it  was. 

Church  of  England,  and  one  in  the  American ;  viz.,  Rev.  William 
Jay  Bolton,  curate  of  Christ  Church,  Cambridge  ;^Re v.  James  Bolton, 
minister  of  St.  Paul's  Chapel,  Kilburn  ;  Rev.  Cornelius  Winter  Bol- 
ton, assistant  minister  of  Christ  Church,  Baltimore. 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  107 

alas !  here.  His  comic  powers  drew  him  into  company 
not  the  most  friendly  to  youthful  improvement.  He 
was  led  into  expense  by  his  admirers  and  flatterers, 
and  for  awhile  left  the  path  in  which  he  had  been 
taught  to  go.  But  the  principles  which  had  been 
early  sown  revived,  especially  under  the  teachings  of 
affliction,  and  the  conjugal  inflaence  of  gentle,  wise, 
and  consistent  piety.  He  sought  the  Lord  God  of  his 
fathers,  walked  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  and 
finished  his  course  in  peace.  And  I  record  it  to  ex- 
cite my  gratitude  and  praise,  and  to  encourage  others 
who  may  be  tried  for  a  time  in  the  same  way.  It  has 
been  delightful  to  my  sorrowing  spirit  to  read  the  tes- 
timonies concerning  him  which  I  received  from  two 
ministers,  the  one  a  missionary  of  the  London  Society, 
the  other  of  the  Church  of  England  Missionary  So- 
ciety ;  as  also  from  Mr.  Alexander,  the  Keeper  of  the 
King's  Stores. 

My  third-born  was  a  daughter,  whom  we  called 
Arabella,  after  a  step-mother  of  Mrs.  Jay's,  of  uncom- 
mon piety,  whose  letters  to  her  children  were  pub- 
lished, and  of  whose  character  an  account  is  found 
among  Gibbon's  "  Pious  "Women."  She  was  early  mar- 
ried to  Garfit  Ashton,  Esq.,  a  solicitor  at  Cambridge, 
and  now  also  Clerk  of  the  Peace.  She  has  no  family, 
but  has  been  the  most  devoted  of  children,  and  has  so 
attached  herself  to  the  comfort  of  her  afflicted  mother, 
as  to  entitle  her  to  every  endearment  of  my  heart.* 

*  Mrs.  Ashton  was  suddenly  removed  by  death  shortly  after  the 
funeral  of  her  beloved  father.  The  particulars  of  this  mournful 
event  will  be  given  in  the  Supplement  to  the  Autobiography,  in 
connection  with  the  account  there  inserted  of  the  interment  and 
funeral  service  of  Mr.  Jay. 


108  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

My  fourtli-born  was  named  Cyrus.  As  I  always 
admired  the  Friends,  and  tlicy  seemed  exemplary  in 
training  their  youth  to  habitudes  of  order,  and  self- 
control,  and  disregard  of  ridicule  and  reproach,  I  was 
induced  to  place  him  for  a  considerable  time  at  one  of 
their  schools.  But  I  was  not  entirely  satisfied  with 
the  result.  The  want  of  more  express  evangelical  instruc- 
tion, and  the  comparative  deficiency  of  instrumental  re- 
ligion, were  a  disadvantage  which  I  found  it  was  not  so 
easy  to  remedy.  lie  fixed  in  London  as  an  attorney, 
and  married  a  daughter  of  my  inestimable  friend,  the 
pious  and  benevolent  Robert  Spear,  Esq.,  of  Manchester. 

My  fifth  child  was  named  Edward,  after  his  maternal 
grandfather.  When  quite  a  child  he  had  nearly  per- 
ished. His  nursemaid  had,  by  reading  herself  asleep, 
set  fire  to  the  curtains.  I  had  just  time  to  snatch  liim 
fi"om  a  flaming  bed,  which  was  nearly  all  consumed, 
with  other  furniture  in  the  room.  He  was  at  first 
•educated  for  the  ministry,  and  preached  for  some  time 
with  much  approbation.  But  a  timorousuess  and  even 
dread  with  regard  to  his  appearing  and  officiating  in 
public,  instead  of  decreasing  by  use,  so  grew  upon  him, 
and  so  threatened  and  even  affected  his  health,  tliat  I 
was  constrained  to  acquiesce  in  his  imjiortunity  to 
leave  the  pulpit  and  enter  secular  life. 

The  last  of  my  fomily  was  a  daughter,  named  Statira, 
after  an  eminent  female  of  Grecian  extraction,  to  whom 
my  preaching  had  been  useful  in  drawing  her  from 
the  world  into  the  way  everlasting.  She  was  not  en- 
dowed with  those  personal  attractions  which  some 
children  possess,  3'et  \\as  pleasing  to  the  eye  of  pa- 
rental afiection.  She  was  a  child  of  a  very  lovely  and 
obliging  temper,  and  apt  at  learning.     She  was  also 


THE    KEY.    WILLIAM   JAY.  109 

truly  pious,  and  like  her  two  sisters,  had  early  come 
to  the  table  of  the  Lord.  But  at  the  age  of  nineteen  I 
was  summoned  to  resign  her.  She  had  been  always 
free  from  ailments.  I  left  her  in  perfect  health,  to  go 
and  preach  at  the  opening  of  a  new  chapel  at  Tavistock 
in  Devonshire ;  but  I  had  not  proceeded  further  than 
Totness  before  a  messenger  overtook  me  with  fore- 
boding intelligence.  I  hastened  back  in  anxious, 
trembhng  suspense,  and  reached  home  only  just  in 
time  to  see  her  dying  of  typhus  fever.  She  was  inca- 
pable of  knowing  the  father  around  whose  neck  she 
had  so  often  clung.  I  turned  away,  and  was  led  by 
her  mother  into  the  solitude  of  my  study.  We  kneeled 
down  hand  in  hand  to  pray ;  but  not  a  word  was  ut- 
tered. At  such  a  season,  how  poor  is  speech;  and 
how  surprising  is  it  that  persons  should  employ  it,  and 
not  yield  to  the  devotion  of  silence  and  tears ! 

This  was  the  first  time  death  had  entered  our  in- 
dulged dwelling.  Till  now  I  knew  not  what  it  was 
truly  to  be  a  parent.  My  heart  was  desolate  within 
me ;  and  there  was  danger  that  weeping  would  hinder 
sowing.  As  my  ministry  had  always  been  very  much 
of  a  consolatory  kind,  I  began  to  dread  the  application 
of  the  address  of  Eliphaz  to  Job,  "  Behold,  thou  hast 
instructed  many,  and  thou  hast  strengthened  the  weak 
hands ;  thy  words  have  upholden  him  that  was  falling, 
and  thou  hast  strengthened  the  feeble  knees.  But 
now  it  is  come  upon  thee,  and  thou  faintest ;  it  touch- 
eth  thee,  and  thou  art  weary."  What  in  a  measure 
prevented  this  ? 

"  Oh,  woman !         .         ,         .         . 
When  pain  and  anguish  wring  the  brow, 
A  ministering  angel  thou  ! " 


110     AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE   REV.  WILLIAM  JAY. 

As  being  not  only  her  husband,  but  her  pastor,  I 
ought  to  have  solaced  and  supported  my  wife  under 
the  loss,  but  she  solaced  and  supported  me. 

One  thing  I  peculiarly  remember  as  arising  from 
our  affliction.  Though  I  was  not  wanting  in  love  to 
my  wife  before,  yet  now  I  felt  her  the  more  singularly 
endeared.  No  thought  of  her  seemed  so  sacred  and 
tender  as  that  of  the  mother  of  my  beloved  and  glori- 
fied daughter ;  and  so  I  commonly  addressed  her  in 
my  letters. 

I  am,  &c. 


LETTER    X. 

MRS.   jay's   illness: — HIS   PEIVATIOX  BY   IT: — STATE   OF  HIS   OWN 

HEALTH  : ALAEMING   SYMPTOMS  : — MR.  WILBEEFOECE's  ADVICE  : 

— INTEODUCES  HLM  TO  DR.  BAILLIK  :  — SUCCESS  OF  HIS  TREATMENT  : 

EEFLECTIONS : — EAELY  EISINO : ABSTINENCE  : PATRONAGE  OF 

TEETOTALISM. 

My  dear  Children, — I  return  to  tlie  notice  of  one 
connected  so  intimately,  so  importantly,  and  so  influ- 
entially,  with  my  character  and  history  ;  and  so  inter- 
esting to  yourselves  also.  But  now,  alas,  the  narrative 
becomes  as  painful  as  it  was  pleasing  before. 

Though  in  her  early  youth,  and  before  I  had  the 
privilege  of  knowing  her,  your  mother  had  been  twice 
supj^osed  to  be  in  a  decline,  for  about  thirty  years  after 
our  marriage  she  enjoyed  continual  good  health.  Her 
first  complaint  was  a  degree  of  oppression  in  breath- 
ing, affecting  her  at  first  occasionally,  but  rather  grow- 
ing upon  the  whole,  and  at  length  frequently  returning 
with  painful  violence.  From  some  symptoms  attend- 
ing the  suffering,  (though  I  might  have  mistaken  them, 
and  was  afraid  to  inquire,)  I  feared  there  was  water  on 
the  chest.  But  this  apprehension  was  proved  to  be 
groundless,  and  her  complaint  was  removed  by  a  sud- 
den painfnl  seizure.  My  dear  and  invaluable  friend, 
Dr.  Bowie,  was  instantly  sent  for,  and  did  everything 


112  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

that  skill  and  niirclaxing  attention  could  accomplish. 
Mr,  Wilson  Brown,  also,  an  eminent  surgeon,  was  pe- 
culiarly kind  and  attentive. 

About  a  year  after  her  first  attack  she  had  a  second, 
though  not  attended  with  any  paralysis.  She  was  then 
at  Clifton  with  a  dear  friend,  and  her  devoted  servant, 
while  I  had  gone  to  London  for  a  few  days  on  preach- 
ing business — not  only  with  her  full  consent,  but  even 
recommendation.  The  seizure  was  violent,  and  left 
her  for  two  hours  and  a  half  insensible  ;  but  profess- 
ional assistance  was  close  at  hand.  She  was  profusely 
depleted,  and  again  revived.  I  hastened  back,  and 
again  embraced  her  as  one  a  second  time  given  mo 
from  the  dead. 

Years  have  elapsed  since  this  last  attack  without 
anything  like  a  return  ;  but  I  have  always  been  con- 
strained to  rejoice  with  trembling.  I  have  also  long 
ceased  to  hope  for  any  further  improvement,  especially 
as  age  was  gaining  upon  her.  Yet  much  mercy  has 
been  mingled  in  my  great  trial ;  and  I  ought  to  have 
been,  and  I  trust  I  have  been,  thankful  for  allevia- 
tions. 

I  know  not  whether  the  case  is  peculiar,  in  the  real- 
ity or  the  degree,  bat  I  state  the  matter  accurately ; 
and  I  have  been  too  long  accustomed  to  the  effect  to 
be  mistaken.  As  deviations  and  exceptions,  instead 
of  disproving  a  rule,  sometimes  only  render  it  the 
more  observable,  in  the  case  before  us,  owing  to  the 
frequency  of  the  result,  one  might  have  been  led  to 
suppose  that  there  was  some  kind  of  physical  law  in 
the  operation  where  there  was  a  contrariety,  whether 
in  nature  or  custom ;  her  manner  was  nearly  invari- 
able.    Thus  she  spoke  of  a  drop  of  bread  and  a  bit  of 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM   JAY.  "  113 

water ;  she  called  tlie  black  white,  and  the  white  black ; 
the  cold  heat,  and  the  heat  cold ;  preaching  was  hear- 
ing, and  hearing  was  preaching ;  in  the  morning  she 
wished  you  good  evening,  and  in  the  evening  good 
morning.  Besides  these  obvious  contrarieties^  how 
many  instances  were  there  in  the  course  of  the  day  or 
hour  in  whi?h  the  opposite  did  not  strike  you,  till  you 
reflected  or  examined,  and  then  you  perceived  them. 
She  is  in  a  considerable  measure  apprehensive  of  this, 
and  feels  the  greatness  of  the  Lrial ;  and  often  com- 
plains, that  though  she  knows  everything  she  cannot 
command  the  right  words.  To  relieve  her  embarrass- 
ment, at  her  own  desire,  she  has  ingeniously  had  writ- 
ten for  her  the  names  of  a  number  of  persons  and 
things  of  which  she  is  likely  to  speak ;  and  often,  after 
a  pause  or  effort,  she  takes  out  the  little  book,  which 
she  always  carries  about  with  her.  Till  of  late,  her 
attempts  to  be  again  able  to  read,  especially  the  Scrip- 
tures, have  been  great  and  incessant,  and  when  she 
could  succeed  with  a  verse,  she  was  much  pleased  with 
the  achievement,  and  would  often  repeat  it ;  while  she 
was  always  craving  for  some  one  to  read  to  her  in  the 
word  of  God,  or  books  of  experience  and  devotion. 

Thus  when  the  companion,  so  delightful  and  edify- 
ing by  her  discourse,  was  almost  entirely  removed, — 
the  friend,  the  helper,  the  comforter  was,  in  a  consid- 
erable degree,  yet  graciously  continued.  And  now 
that  she  has  become,  in  the  course  of  nature,  more  in- 
firm and  dependent,  she  is  indescribably  interestin,g. 
I  cannot  for  a  moment  forget  what  she  has  bee»n,  and 
what  she  has  done ;  or  be  insensible  of  my  obligations 
to  her.  She  needs  and  she  occupies  much  of  my  at- 
tention, but  attention  endears  her  the  more.    My  affec- 


114  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

tion  has  now  infused  into  it  an  unselfisli  tenderness, 
and  I  have  learned  by  experience  that  the  happiness 
of  love  results  principally  from  its  disinterestedness. 
And  we  know  who  has  said,  "It  is  more  blessed  to 
give  than  to  receive." 

Health  is  an  unspeakable  blessing,  not  only  on  the 
score  of  enjoyment,  but  of  usefulness.  Job  called  the 
season  of  his  sickness  "months  of  vanity,"  during  which, 
as  nothing  was  enjoj^ed,  so  nothing  was  pursued  or  ac- 
complished. While  disease  deprives  us  of  our  liberty, 
and  weakens  our  strength  in  the  way,  the  hands  of  the 
workman  are  no  longer  sufficient  for  him — the  eyes 
of  the  handmaiden  no  loncrcrlook  to  her  mistress — ^the 
mother  leaves  her  infant  charge  to  less  tender  care — 
and  the  preacher,  whose  lips  fed  many,  ceases  to  deal 
forth  the  bread  of  life.  Paul,  therefore,  not  only  in- 
structs his  son  Timothy  as  an  apostle,  but  prescribes 
for  him  as  a  physician  :  "  Drink  no  longer  water,  but 
use  a  little  wine,  for  thy  stomach's  sake,  and  thine 
often  infirmities."  Next  to  our  spiritual  welfare  is  the 
good  estate  of  the  body  ;  therefore  John  says  of  Gains, 
"  Beloved,  I  wish  above  all  things  that  thou  mayest 
prosper  and  be  in  health,  even  as  thy  soul  prospereth." 
A  word,  therefore,  concerning  the  degree,  the  interrup- 
tion, the  recovery,  and  the  j)reservation  of  my  health, 
may  not  be  improper  or  useless. 

I  had  never  a  very  strong  constitution,  or,  at  least, 
a  remarkable  freedom  from  slight  indispositions.  For 
a  great  length  of  time  I  had  almost  incessant  head- 
aches, which  rendered  my  preaching  difficult,  and  my 
studies  painful.  Many  will  remember  the  several  seiz- 
ures in  my  head  with  which  I  was  visited,  and  which 
more  than  once  befell  me  in  the  pulpit.     They  were 


THE   EEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  115 

very  sudden.     They  momentarily  confused  my  siglit, 
and  nearly  deprived  me  of  all  consciousness.      The 
faculty  who  then  attended  me  viewed  these  attacks  as 
serious  and  perilous ;  and  I  was  bled,  and  cupped,  and 
reduced  in  strength  and  size,  till  I  seemed  a  shadow 
hastening  to  the  grave.     This  I  could  not  have  borne 
much  longer.     In  this  state,  Mr.  WUberforce,  being  in 
Bath,  called  upon  me,  and  urged  me  to  see  Dr.  Baillie, 
whom  he  extolled  as  his  friend  and  physician.     He 
expressed  the  greatest  confidence. in  his  judgment,  and 
offered  to  write  me  a  letter  of  introduction.     I  grate- 
fully accepted  his  kindness,  and  repaired  to  town.   The 
doctor  favorably  received  me ;  paid  (in  consequence 
of  the  recommendation)  a  good  deal  of  attention  to  my 
case ;  and,  to  the  kind  and  seasonable  advice  of  the 
negro's  friend,  I  am  fully  persuaded  I  owe,  under  Grod, 
the  prolongation  of  my  life  and  labors.    And  I  cannot 
but  here  remark  two  things — First,   "  A  word  fitly 
spoken,  how  good  is  it !"  and  what  important  conse- 
quences may  arise  from  a  single  instruction  or  admo- 
nition !     Secondly,  We  see  the  propriety  of  sometimes 
varying  medical   authority.      No   man   is   infallible. 
What  does  not  strike  one  may  strike  another.     When 
a  physician  is  called  in,  he  may  immediately  form  and 
express  his  opinion  of  the  case,  and  then  go  on  look- 
ing, not  for  what  corrects  but  what  confirms  his  con- 
viction, till  every  doubt  or  suspicion  of  the  possibility 
of  mistake  is  lulled  to  sleep. 

I  should  have  mentioned  before,  that  at  rather  an 
early  period  of  my  ministry  I  suffered  very  consider- 
ably from  a  nervous  malady,  and  which  threatened 
for  the  time  to  lay  me  aside  from  my  work.  This  was 
of  my  own  procuring,  in  neglecting  for  a  season  early 


116  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

rising,  and  proper  air  and  exercise,  and  confining  my- 
self to  long  sedentary  reading  and  writing.  From  a 
firm  conviction  of  my  own,  I  threw  oft",  by  degrees, 
but  not  without  difficulty,  this  affecting  and  deplorable 
complaint,  to  return  no  more.  Yet,  as  every  kind  of 
experience  is  useful  to  a  minister,  the  suffering  has 
been  overruled  for  good,  as  it  has  enabled  me  to  sym- 
pathize, where  otherwise,  perhaps,  I  should  have  felt 
nothing ;  to  warn  and  admonish  any  of  my  brethren 
likely  to  err  in  the  same  way  ;  and  to  regulate  my  own 
applications,  and  to  blend  action  with  thought ;  and 
to  do  much  of  the  work  of  the  study  in  the  open 
air.  In  vain  we  talk  of  the  value  of  health,  or  expect 
to  enjoy  the  blessing,  unless  we  use  the  rational  means 
for  preserving  it.  These  means  will  not  deliver  us 
from  the  sentence  of  mortality,  but  they  may  lengthen 
our  days,  and  render  them  more  tolerable,  delightful, 
and  profitable.  With  few  exceptions,  I  have  always 
practiced  early  rising,  being  seldom  in  bed,  summer  or 
winter,  after  five  o'clock  ;  and  this  has  been  with  mc, 
not  as  with  some,  who  say  they  rise  because  they  can- 
not sleep,  for  it  has  been  always  an  act  of  self-denial, 
for  I  could  enjoy  more,  but  I  felt  a  conviction  that  it 
was  morally  right,  as  it  redeemed  time  and  aided 
duty ;  and  also  it  was  physically  right,  as  it  was 
wholesome  and  healthful.  For  how  does  it  refresh 
and  invigorate  the  body,  revive  the  animal  spirits, 
and  exhilarate  and  elevate  the  mind  !  Yet  how  many 
are  there,  and  even  ministers,  and  young  ministers, 
not  too  much  qualified  for  their  work,  who  can  sacri- 
fice all  this  advantage  to  the  lazy,  low,  debilitating, 
disreputable  influences  of  a  late  indulgence  in  bed. 
In   looking  back  upon  the  years  I  have  passed 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM   JAY.  117 

through,  for  nothing  am  I  more  thankful  than  the 
cautions  I  was  led  to  exercise  with  regard  to  drinking?' 
I  knew  the  danger  of  increase  with  regard  to  spirituous 
liquors ;  I  knew  what  temptations  a  young  minister 
of  some  considerable  popularity  is  exposed  to  in  his 
frequent  dinings-out,  especially  in  great  towns  and 
cities,  and  at  the  table  of  professors  who  vie  with  each 
other  in  extravagance ;  for  the  faithful  do  not  always 
add  to  their  faith  "temperance."  As  far  as  it  was  in 
my  power,  by  word  and  deed,  I  always  discounte- 

*  In  the  year  1839,  Mr.  Jay  was  solicited  to  attend  a  Festival  of 
the  Teetotal  Society  in  Bath,  but  as  this  was  not  convenient,  he  con- 
veyed his  sentiments  to  the  meeting  in  the  following  letter,  which 
was  afterwards  published  extensively  both  in  this  country  and  in 
America : — 

"  Mt  Dear  Sie, — Circumstances  will  prevent  my  accepting  your  in- 
vitation to  attend  the  Teetotal  Christmas  Festival  on  Friday  evening. 
I  am  thankful  that  all  through  life  I  have  been  a  very  temperate 
man,  and  for  more  than  twenty-five  years,  generally,  a  Teetotaller, 
but  for  the  last  six  years  I  have  been  one  constantly  and  entirely.  To 
this  (now  I  am  past  70)  I  ascribe,  under  God,  the  glow  of  health, 
evenness  of  spirits,  freshness  of  feeling,  ease  of  application,  and  com- 
parative inexhaustion  by  public  labors,  I  now  enjoy. 

"  The  subject  of  Teetotalism  I  have  examined  physically,  morally, 
and  christianly,  and  after  all  my  reading,  reflection,  observation' 
and  experience,  I  have  reached  a  very  firm  and  powerful  conviction. 
I  believe  that  next  to  the  glorious  Gospel,  God  could  not  bless  the  human 
race  so  much  as  by  the  abolition  of  all  intoxicating  liquors. 

"  As  every  man  Ims  some  influence,  and  as  we  ought  to  employ 
usefully  all  our  talents,  and  as  I  have  been  for  near  half  a  century 
endeavoring  in  this  city  to  serve  my  generation,  by  the  will  of  God, 
I  have  no  objection  to  your  using  this  testimony  in  any  way  you 
please.  I  am  willing  that  both  as  a  Pledger  and  a  Subscriber  you 
should  put  down  the  name  of, 

"  My  dear  Sir, 

"Yours  trul}'-, 

"  Percy  Place,  Bath,  2ith  December.  «  W.  Jay." 


118       AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  REV,  WILLIAM  JAY. 

nanced  such  needless  and  improper  "  feastings  of 
themselves  without  fear."  I  commonly  used  water, 
2)rinci2Dally^  and,  for  years  back,  only ;  and  I  am  fully 
persuaded  that  it  has  befriended  my  digestion,  pre- 
served the  evenness  of  my  spirits,  and  added  to  my 
comfort,  especially  in  my  feeling  cool  and  fresh  in  the 
relaxation  and  lassitude  of  warm  weather,  while  others 
were  deservedly  panting,  and  burdens  to  themselves. 
My  natural  wants  were  so  many,  that  I  never  thought 
of  adding  to  them  the  cravings  of  fictitious  appetites 
equally  importunate.  I  had,  therefore,  no  trouble  or 
expense  from  the  wretched  habits  of  snuff-taking  or 
smoking.  I  have  often  found  perspiration  produced 
by  a  brisk  walk  or  working  in  the  garden,  or  cleaving 
of  wood,  the  means  of  relieving  me  from  many  a  slight 
ailment,  especially  headaches.  To  which  I  may  add 
that  I  have  often  also  derived  benefit  of  this  kind  from 
preaching ;  but  then  it  has  been,  not  by  dry  discuss- 
ions, or  labored  recollections,  or  stale  repetitions,  but 
by  animating  subjects,  producing  a  lively  frame,  and 
fine  glowing  emotions ;  then  I  have  often  come  from 
the  engagement  with  renewed  strength,  and  "  anointed 
as  with  fresh  oil."  Perhaps  the  thing  can  be  physical- 
ly accounted  for;  if  not,  I  tave  experienced  the  effect 
too  often  to  question  the  truth  of  it.  I  ought  to  bless 
God,  not  only  that  my  life  has  been  continued  so  long 
after  some  menacing  appcarancen,  but  that  I  have  b^eu 
laid  by  so  few  Sabbaths  upon  the  whole,  and  can  now 
perform  my  usual  and  occasional  services  with  as  much 
vigor  and  pleasure  as  ever. 

I  am,  &c. 


LETTER    XI. 

HIS    aitthoeship: — first   volume    of  sermons: — monthly  ek- 

VIEW  : SUCCEEDING    PUBLICATIONS  : HYMNS,    ETC. 

My  dear  Children,— Mj  authorsliip  is  too  im- 
portant an  article  in  mj  little  history  to  be  over- 
looked. I  had  early,  too  early,  published  several 
single  sermons ;  but  they  neither  excited  nor  deserved 
much  notice.  I  have  not,  therefore,  perpetuated  them 
in  the  list  of  my  works.  But  having  delivered  a  dis- 
course on  "The  Mutual  Duties  of  Husbands  and 
Wives,"  at  the  nuptials  of  a  gentleman  who  married 
his  lady  immediately  from  my  house,  I  was  impor- 
tuned to  publish  it.  It  rapidly  went  through  six 
large  editions,  and  was  not  a  little  commended  in  sev- 
eral of  the  periodicals  of  the  day,  and  by  Mr.  Hall 
from  the  pulpit.  This  encouraged  me  soon  after  to 
venture  before  the  public  a  volume  of  sermons  on 
various  subjects.  This  also  was  favorably  received, 
and  was  spoken  well  of  even  by  the  "  Monthly  Ee- 
view,"  then  a  work  of  much  authority.*  JSTot  long 
after  this  I  published  a  second  volume,  with  sunilar 
acceptance  and  success.  I  should,  perhaps,  now  deem 
some  of  these  sermons  not  sufficiently  evangelical ;  but 

*  An  extract  from  this  Review  will  be  found  in  our  notice  of 
Mr.  Jay's  Authorshij 


120  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

I  then  expected  them  to  be  read  principally  by  those 
who  were  already  acquainted  with  the  doctrines  of  the 
Gos2)el,  and  some  of  wliom  were  more  fomiliar  with 
doctrinal  than  practical  theology.  It  was  also  at  the 
same  time  my  intention  to  add  a  third  volume,  con- 
taining subjects  of  a  more  doctrinal  character. 

I  next  published,  in  succession,  four  volumes  of 
"Short  Discourses  for  the  Use  of  Families."  These, 
too,  were  kindly  received,  and  went  through  repeated 
editions,  and  procured  for  me  a  diploma  of  D.  D., — a 
dignity  I  never  used,  except  once  in  travelling,  when  I 
left  a  case  of  manuscripts  at  a  large  inn,  the  better  to 
insure  attention  to  the  recovery  ;  and  it  answered  my 
purpose.  Who,  then,  can  deny  the  usefulness  of  such 
honors  ?  I.  also  sent  forth  two  works  of  a  biographical 
kind:  "The  Life  of  Kev.  Cornelius  Winter,"  and 
"Memoirs  of  Eev.  John  Clarke."  The  first  of  these 
sold  Avell ;  the  sale  of  the  second  was  slow  and  limited  ; 
yet  it  occasioned  me  more  pains  than  any  other  of  my 
publications;  and  in  America  they  have  published 
extensively  my  remarks  and  observations,  detached 
from  the  narrative  itself,  furnished  by  the  Diary  of  the 
deceased. 

I  also  published  two  volumes  of  "  Morning  Exer- 
cises for  the  Closet,"  which  soon  reached  a  tenth  edi- 
tion ;  and,  three  years  after,  I  yielded  to  importunity, 
and  produced  two  more  volumes  of  similar  exercises 
for  the  "  Evening."  I  cannot  but  hope,  from  the  wide 
circulation  of  these  "Exercises,"  and  the  testimonies  I 
have  received  from  so  many  quarters,  that  they  have 
been  owned  of  God,  and  will  continue  to  be  useful 
after  my  decease. 

Between   the   Morning   and   Evening:  Exercises,  I 


THE  REV,   WILLIAM  JAY.  121 

preached  and  published  a  work,  called  "  The  Christian 
Contemplated,"  in  twelve  lectures.  To  these  I  after- 
wards, bj  desire,  and  as  a  kind  of  application  of  the 
whole,  added  another  lecture,  from  the  words,  "Almost 
thou  persuadest  me  to  be  a  Christian."  This  work 
also  sold  rapidlj,  and  has  now  reached  the  eighth 
edition. 

But  the  work  which  has  had  the  largest  sale,  next 
to  the  Morning  and  Evening  Exercises,  and  is  still  in 
demand,  is,  "  The  Domestic  Minister's  Assistant."  It 
consists  of  morning  and  evening  prayers  for  six  weeks, 
with  additional  ones  for  particular  seasons  and  occa- 
sions. Some  of  my  brethren  were  rather  disposed  to 
be  displeased  with  this  publication,  and  accused  me 
of  aiding  what  they  called  the  cause  of  formality ;  but 
I  bless  God  that  I  ever  was  led  to  undertake  it.  I 
only  herein  followed  the  example  of  some  very  eminent 
ministers  of  our  own  body,  such  as  Baxter,  Henry,  and 
Watts,  &c.  And  are  we  not  commanded,  "  as  we  have 
opportunity,  to  do  good  unto  all  men"  ?  Is  there  no 
difference  between  preference  and  exclusiveness  ?  Is 
the  assistance  of  the  weak  any  injury  to  the  strong? 
There  are  persons  who  pray  spiritually  with  a  form ; 
and  there  are  persons  that  pray  very  formally  without 
a  form. 

The  smaller  publications  were,  "An  Essay  on  Mar- 
riage," "A  Charge  to  a  Minister's  Wife,"  "A  Preface 
to  Mrs.  Savage's  Memoirs,"  some  Funeral  Orations, 
with  a  large  number  of  single  Sermons,  preached  on 
particular  occasions.  I  also  published  an  Appendix 
of  Hymns,  but  the  contents  are  principally  selections 
from  other  authors;  and  I  am  only  answerable  for 
about  twenty  new  composures,  and  some  introductory 

6 


122  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

remarks  on  psalmody.  I  have  not  mcntiuned  all  the 
publications  in  the  order  of  time  in  which  they  ap- 
peared ;  but  this  could  easily  be  ascertained  by  their 
dates,  were  it  of  any  importance. 

There  has  been  no  complete  edition  of  these  works 
in  England  till  that  which  is  now  forthcoming ;  but  a 
very  handsome  one  was  published  some  years  ago  at 
Baltimore,  in  America;  and  there  have  been  several 
since ;  for  there  God  has  much  smiled  upon  my  labors. 

Many  of  my  publications,  especially  the  principal 
ones,  were  begun,  or  completed,  or  much  advanced, 
when  I  was  taking  an  annual  excursion  by  the  sea-side, 
and  had  a  little  more  leisure  than  necessary  relaxation 
and  occasional  preaching  at  those  seasons  required.  I 
have  given  some  account  of  this  in  the  preface  to  the 
last  volume  of  the  Morning  and  Evening  Exercises. 

I  have  not  been  able  to  do  justice  to  any  of  these 
works,  or  even  to  the  degree  of  my  comparative  ability, 
for  want  of  more  time  and  abstraction,  in  composing 
and  revising,  than  could  be  obtained  from  a  large  con- 
gregation, four  services  a  week  at  home,  and  numerous 
calls  to  preach  on  special  occasions  abroad.  I  have 
rarely  been  at  liberty  to  transcribe,  and  have  frequently 
written  from  short  and  imperfect  notes,  to  supply  the 
immediate  demand  of  the  printer.  I  do  not  mention 
this  to  boast  anything  like  great  readiness  in  composi- 
tion, or  to  justify  haste  where  it  could  be  avoided ;  but 
to  intimate  that  among  engagements  and  interruptions 
I  did  what  I  was  able.  At  an  earlier  period  I  might, 
perhaps,  have  pleaded  this,  to  soften,  if  not  to  disarm, 
critical  censure;  but  my  advanced  years  remind  me 
that  I  ought  to  think  only  of  the  approbation  of  God, 
regardless  of  being  "judged  of  man's  judgment." 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  123 

Since  the  Lord  has  so  favorably  disposed  the  public 
mind  to  receive  my  writings,  notwithstanding  their 
defects,  I  need  not  lament  that  I  have  published  so 
much,  as  it  enables  me  to  do  a  little  good  in  many 
places  at  the  same  time,  and  may  lengthen  a  degree  of 
usefulness  beyond  natural  life,  I  hope  it  makes  me 
humble  rather  than  proud,  (I  am  sure  it  ought,)  to 
think  how  many,  in  particular,  I  am  continually  attend- 
ing in  their  most  sacred  moments  of  retirement,  and 
aiding  at  the  family  altar,  as  well  as  helping  in  their 
general  religious  concerns. 

I  am  also  thankful,  that  though  a  man's  writings 
will  always  have  a  tinge  of  his  own  opinions,  I  have 
published  nothing  that  can  fairly  or  justly  give  offence 
to  any  religious  parties  among  those  who  "hold  the 
Head."  Let  a  man,  if  he  please,  state  and  defend  his 
own  peculiar  views  in  a  work  of  itself^  and  professing 
its  own  purpose ;  but  I  always  disliked  the  smuggling 
of  particular  sentiments  into  a  subject  designed  and 
adapted  to  general  usefulness. 

I  do  not  consider  my  Sermon  on  the  Eeformation  as 
an  exception  to  this  remark.  The  occasion  was  sin- 
gular, and  allowed  and  required  me  to  speak  freely. 
If  any  suppose  that  because  I  conceded  to  the  Catholics 
their  civil  rights,  I  was  too  candid  towards  the  doc- 
trines and  superstitions  of  Popery,  they  have  but  to 
peruse  the  Sermon  to  see  that  they  were  mistaken.  If 
any  members  of  the  Established  Church  were  offended, 
it  was  only  those  who  did  not  hear  the  Sermon,  but 
only  heard  of  it,  in  connection  with  a  gross  misrepre- 
sentation, which  ignorance  reported  and  bigotry  spread, 
and  which  was  soon  rectified  by  public  denials.  These 
denials,  however,  the  author  never  called  for,  having 


124       AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  REV.  ^MLLIAM  JAY. 

always  followed  an  advice  early  given  liim  by  a  very 
wise  and  good  man,  viz.,  never  to  notice  anything  said 
of  him  in  newspapers  and  periodicals.  There  were 
witnesses  enough  in  the  numbers  that  attended  the 
discourse  who  could  vouch  for  his  innocency  of  the 
charges  which  were  maliciously  and  eagerly  circulated. 
The  libel  was,  that  he  affirmed  the  only  difference  be- 
tween the  Church  of  Eome  and  the  Church  of  England 
was  the  same  as  between  a  toad  and  a  tadpole.  The 
preacher  was  applying  this  coarse  image  to  another 
subject;  the  liars  transferred  it  to  this.  It  was  also  an 
Episcopalian  and  not  a  member  of  his  own  congrega- 
tion who  drew  up  the  application  for  him  to  publish 
the  sermon.  One  thing  said  gave  offence  to  some,  who 
have  since  seen  it  abundantly  explained  and  exempli- 
fiel — The  Popery  of  Protestantism.  How  truly  and 
forcibly  has  Dr.  Chalmers  enlarged  on  this ! 

I  am,  &c. 


LETTER    XII. 

PEEAOHES  BEFOBE  THE  DTJKE  OF  SUSSEX  AT  THE  OPENENG  OF 
HANOVEE  CHAPEL,  PEOKHAM  : — EEVIEW  OF  HIS  00TJE8E  : — EAELY 
disadvantages: influence    of   position   on   HIS    HAPPINESS. 

My  dear  CniLDEEiSr, — While  musing  with  what  I 
should  fill  this  sheet,  it  struck  me  that  I  would  notice 
the  disadvantages  arising  from  my  original  state  in  life, 
and  see  what  there  has  been  in  any  degree  to  counter- 
balance them.  I  have  nothing  to  lament  on  account 
of  it  physically;  yea,  I  was  more  likely  to  inherit  a 
purer  blood,  and  a  sounder  constitution,  by  being  born 
of  healthful,  robust,  and  active  peasants,  than  if  I  had 
descended  from  the  enervating,  and  disease-breeding 
habitudes,  and  indulgences  of  higher  life.  But  my 
early  condition  painfully  affected  my  ease  and  confi- 
dence in  company.  I,  therefore,  rarely  ever  felt  myself 
at  home,  or  in  my  element,  unless  in  some  very  special 
instances.  This,  however,  was  overruled  for  good,  by 
keeping  me  much  out  of  society,  and  giving  me  more 
time  for  reading  and  study,  which  I  both  wanted  and 
desired.  Hence,  also,  in  a  measure,  arose  my  back- 
wardness to  speak  at  public  meetings.  For  the  sacred- 
ness  of  the  temple  I  had  been  accustomed  privately  to 
prepare,  and  the  presence  of  God  seemed  to  reduce 
creatures  to  their  proper  level. 


126  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

Thus  when  I  had  to  })re.i('h  before  tlic  Duke  of 
Sussex,  at  the  opening  of  Hanover  Chapel,  instead  of 
dining  with  His  Royal  Highness  and  a  large  company 
previously  to  Ihe  service,  I  passed  the  tinie  in  retire- 
ment, and  when  I  left  it,  to  enter  the  pulpit,  I  felt  no 
more  than  if  I  had  been  going  to  preach  Christ  in  a 
poor-house.  One  of  the  papers  of  the  day  abused  me, 
for  the  freedom  of  my  address,  but  as  I  had  never  been 
accustomed  to  speak  evil  of  dignities,  so  I  was  not 
likely  to  insult  greatness  to  its  face.  The  case  was, 
retirement  had  awakened  conscience,  and  conscience 
accompanied  me  in  the  pulpit,  and  bade  mc  speak, 
"  not  as  pleasing  men  but  God  who  searches  the  heart," 
and  with  whom  "  there  is  no  respect  of  persons."  I 
never  consider  myself  as  chargeable  with  personal  re- 
flection, when  I  am  conscious  I  should  deliver  the  same 
things,  from  the  same  words,  in  any  other  place  or  to 
any  other  audience.  But  I  could  never  (so  modelled 
and  governed  are  we  by  habit  and  circumstances) 
realize  this  frame  in  a  town-hall  or  an  assembly-room. 
There,  notwithstanding  the  object  of  the  meeting,  it 
seemed  to  be  a  kind  of  civil  proceeding ;  and  I  felt  as 
only  among  men,  whose  presence  and  manner  con- 
founded me.  The  expectation  of  being  called  upon  to 
propose  or  second  some  motion  has  crucified  me  lu  inc 
prospect,  for  the  whole  preceding  night ;  and  it  some- 
times induced  me  to  abstain  from  places,  and  assem- 
blies, which  I  should  otherwise  have  delighted  to  at- 
tend. I  have  felt  also  impressed  with  an  invincible 
apprehension  that  I  did  not  succeed  when  I  made  the 
attempt.  After  my  first  speech  on  occasion  of  the  first 
meeting  of  the  Bible  Society  in  Bath,  I  was  desired  by 
a  rude  member  of  the  committee  to  furnish  for  publi- 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  127 

cation  in  the  provincial  papers,  "  as  mucli  of  wliat  I 
had  delivered  as  had  any  relation  to  the  business  of 
the  day."  This  so  completely  chilled  me,  that  I  spoke 
but  once  after,  and  without  any  of  that  freedom  which 
would  give  it  grace  or  effect.  Then  I  came  to  a  de- 
termination, that  to  prevent  importunity  I  would  refuse 
all  future  applications.  I  the  more  readily  adopted 
this  resolution,  as  I  had  a  plenitude  of  other  pressing 
claims.  I  was  also  afterwards  confirmed  in  the  pro- 
priety of  it  by  Dr.  Chalmers,  who,  when  I  was  at  his 
house  in  Glasgow,  remarked,  "  The  pulpit  is  the 
preacher's  appropriate  station,  and  he  can  there  be 
most  influential  and  useful,  by  touching  a  number  of 
springs  which  will  set  all  in  motion."  Observation 
also  has  kept  me  from  repenting  of  my  resolution.  I 
have  seen  that  ministers,  who,  as  platform  orators, 
have  figured  much  at  these  meetings,  have  been  sadly 
drawn  off  from  keeping  their  own  vineyards.  Nor  in 
general,  are  preachers  on  these  occasions  the  best  or 
the  most  acceptable  speakers.  They  are  too  profess- 
ional—  too  sermonic.  Laymen,  who  speak  more 
briefly,  more  simply,  and  apparently  more  from  the 
heart,  are  commonly  more  effective,  and  are  heard  to 
more  advantage.  My  esteemed  friend  Mr.  Hughes, 
one  of  the  secretaries  of  the  Bible  Society,  also  con- 
firmed this ;  and  he  had  the  best  opportunities  to 
judge. 

"Every  man  in  his  own  order,"  we  have  all  our 
particular  dispensations  under  which  we  should  be 
content  to  labor,  and  getting  above  which,  we  soon 
appear  to  be  out  of  our  place.  Grenteel  life  lays 
restraints  on  the  expression  of  feeling,  and  gives  a 
softness  to  the  manners,  and  a  courtesy  to  the  speech, 


128  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

especially  in  differences  of  opinion.  Here,  I  fear,  I 
also  have  sometimes  if  not  frequently  erred,  having 
been  hasty  of  spirit  in  conversational  disputes,  if  not 
rudely  decisive.  But  the  great  disadvantage  arising 
from  my  original  condition  was  the  want  of  an  early 
and  good  education.  As  this  was  not  placed  within 
my  reach,  I  have  no  feeling  of  shame  or  of  blame  on 
account  of  wanting  it ;  but  I  am  persuaded  I  should, 
had  the  opportunity  been  afforded  me,  have  seized  it 
with  avidity ;  and  have  made  that  progress  which  de- 
pends on  some  degree  of  talent,  accompanied  with 
much  application  and  diligence.  I  say  nothing,  there- 
fore, in  depreciation  of  schools  and  learning,  but  it 
becomes  me  to  dwell  on  any  consideration  that  tends 
to  reconcile  me  to  the  will  of  God  in  denying  me, 
what  I  shall  ever  deem  a  privilege ;  and  viewing  things 
in  their  bearing  on  my  ministry,  I  was,  perhaps,  by 
my  previous  circumstances,  more  acquainted  with  the 
lower  ranks  in  the  community,  and  could  better  ac- 
commodate myself  to  their  modes  of  thinking  and 
feeling.  And  may  not  this  be  one  reason  why  God 
takes  so  many  of  his  laborers  from  common  life?  And 
how  was  it  with  the  great  Teacher  sent  from  God? 
"We  are  aware  of  a  grand  specialty  in  his  case.  He 
had  knowledge  by  inspiration — but  he  communicated 
it  naturally.  His  teaching  was  unlike  that  of  the 
doctors  of  the  schools, — "he  spake  as  one  having 
authority,  and  not  as  the  Scribes,"  He  did  not  soar 
above  vulgar  apprehension.  He  did  not  abound  in 
learned  allusions.  His  images  were  all  taken  from 
familiar  scenes  Other  teachers  were  very  fine — he 
was  very  simple.  They  were  mechanism — he  was 
nature.     "  The  poor,"   therefore,    had   "  the  gospel 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  129 

preached  unto  i'hem^''  and  "  tlie  common  people  heard 
him  gladly."  Was  this  recorded  of  him  who  "spake 
as  never  man  spake"  in  a  way  of  commendation? 
Why  then  do  we  not  seek  to  resemble  him? 

Cromwell  always  ordered  his  soldiers  to  fire  low, 
and  what  execution  would  they  have  done  had  they 
fired  high?  Such  are  the  effects  of  thdr  preaching 
who  shoot  over  their  hearers'  heads.  Have  we  never 
seen  an  audience  gaping  with  admiration  at  what  they 
did  not  understand,  and  perhaps  their  wonderful  and 
astonishing  orator  either?  It  is  easy  to  give  a  dis- 
course the  appearance  of  depth,  or  originality,  by  cer- 
tain terms  and  unusualness  of  expression,  or  turning 
prose  into  a  kind  of  blank  verse.  But  this  strikes  only 
the  injudicious, — not  "the  wise  in  heart."  They  easily 
see,  under  the  garish  ornaments,  only  the  mere  com- 
mon-place which  they  would  not  despise,  but  for  its 
silly  affectation  of  finery. 

I  have  been  asked  whether  my  happiness  was  in- 
creased and  improved  by  the  change  and  elevation  in 
life  which  I  have  experienced  ?  It  may  not  be  amiss 
to  offer  a  few  reflections  suited  to  this  inquiry. — "  The 
Lord,"  says  the  church,  "  shall  choose  our  inheritance 
for  us."  When  Saul's  courtiers  reproached  David  as 
a  restless,  ambitious  j^oung  man,  who,  dissatisfied  with 
a  private  station,  was  endeavoring  to  climb  into  emi- 
nence and  publicity,  he  was  able  to  make  this  appeal, 
"  Lord,  my  heart  is  not  haughty  nor  mine  eyes  lofty, 
neither  do  I  exercise  myself  in  great  matters,  or  in 
things  too  high  for  me."  He  well  knew  that  the  first 
notice  he  excited,  and  which  led  to  everything  else, 
was,  as  to  himself,  purely  accidental.  He  was  sent  by 
his  father  to  carry  provision  to  his  brethren  in  the 

6* 


130  autobi6graphy  of 

camp,  and  to  learn  bow  tliey  did.  He  had  then  no 
expectation  of  seeing  or  engaging  Goliath ;  but  it  was 
so ;  and  the  Lord  brought  it  to  pass ;  for  there  was 
nothing  in  the  event  casual  as  to  him.  If  lesser  things 
niaj  be  compared  with  greater,  I  am  equally  sure,  that 
the  revolution  in  my  circumstances  was  by  the  provi- 
dence of  God;  not  a  thought  of  the  change — m\ich 
less  a  design,  was,  or  could  have  been,  rationally  en- 
tertained by  myself  or  my  friends,  till  the  door  was 
suddenly  opened,  in  an  entirely  new  direction,  and  I 
was  led  by  a  way  I  knew  not,  and  in  paths  which  I 
had  not  known.  In  such  a  case,  the  will  of  God  is  to 
be  supremely  regarded ;  and  the  dispensation  is  not  to 
be  judged  of  by  what  we  suffer  or  enjoy  He  has  an 
absolute  propriety  in  us ;  and  may  dispose  of  us  an 
seemeth  good  in  his  sight.  His  work  is  perfect — his 
ways  are  judgment.  His  purpose  also  is  often  com- 
prehensive and  extensive,  involving  references  far 
beyond  our  present  views  and  circumstances.  Men 
are  naturally  far  from  being  content  with  such  things 
as  they  have;  and  as.  to  the  future,  rising  in  life 
seems  always  to  appear  very  enviable.  It  would  be 
very  ungrateful  in  me,  not  to  acknowledge^  the  good- 
ness, as  weU  as  the  agency  of  God,  and  especially, 
considering  the  results,  not  to  exclaim  with  David, 
"  "What  am  I,  and  what  is  my  father's  liouse,  that  thou 
hast  brought  me  hitherto  ?"  But  I  am  not  disposed 
fi'om  experience  to  make  men  dissatisfied  with  their 
own  allotment,  and  to  seek  great  things  to  themselves 
by  representing  all  the  advantages  as  to  enjoyment,  on 
tlie  ascending  side.  It  was  not  the  shepherd  of  Bethle- 
hem, but  the  hero  of  the  age,  and  the  monarch  of 
Israel,  that  cried,  "  Oh  that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove, 


THE  REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  131 

for  then  would  I  flee  awaj  and  be  at  rest ! "  K  the 
robe  be  lengthened,  it  is  not  the  less  likely  to  be  soiled, 
or  torn,  or  trampled  on.  Possessions  gender  fears  and 
cares ;  talents  increase  responsibilities — where  much  is 
given,  much  will  be  required.  And  who  can  be  satis- 
fied with  his  own  improvements  ?  Many  new  sources 
of  usefulness  may  be  opened,  and  this  wiU.  weigh  with 
a  pious  mind.  But  the  Lord  looketh  to  the  heart ;  and 
"  where  there  is  first  a  willing  mind,  it  is  accepted  ac- 
cording to  what  a  man  hath,  and  not  according  to 
what  he  hath  not."  The  Saviour  could  not  have  ex- 
tolled an  apostle,  or  an  angel,  more  than  he  did  Mary, 
when  he  said,  "  She  hath  done  what  she  could." 

"  Who  does  the  best  his  circumstance  allows, 
Does  well — acts  nobly — angels  could  no  more." 

Many  new  sources  of  pleasure  also  may  be  opened ; 
but  every  comfort  has  its  cross ;  sensibility  also  may 
be  quickened ;  but  strong  feeling  may  increase  anguish 
as  well  as  enjoyment.  A  man,  if  destitute  of  the  ne- 
cessaries of  life,  must  be  wretched ;  but  if  he  has  a 
sufficiency  with  regard  to  food,  clothing,  and  habita- 
tion, suited  to  his  state,  he  may  be  called  poor ;  but  he 
is  only  comparatively  so.  Crabbe  often  takes  his  aim 
too  low — his  poor  are  the  abject  poor — the  inmates  of 
a  parish  work-house,  or  the  contents  of  the  back  streets 
of  a  borough,  and  commonly  immoral  and  vicious. 
But  take  a  peasant  or  a  mechanic  in  a  village,  sober, 
moral,  religious ;  his  wishes  bounded  by  the  simplicity 
of  rural  life — ^his  sleep  sweet — his  meals,  though  plain, 
sauced  by  appetite — his  hands  sufficient  for  him — his 
labor  limited  and  free  from  distracting  cares — his  little 


132  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

garden  yielding  him  the  useful  vegetable,  and  the 
Sunday  flower — the  Sabbath,  a  day  of  pleasing  change, 
and  rest,  and  refreshment  of  spirits — the  going  to  the 
house  of  God  in  company — and  the  Bible,  now  more 
amply  read,  though  not  forgotten  during  the  week — 
take  such  an  one,  and  his  condition  as  to  enjoyment 
will  not  shrink  from  a  comparison  with  the  state  of 
thousands,  who  never  look  down  upon  him,  but  with 
contempt,  or  pity,  or  indifference. 

There  are  those  who  are  not  theorists  here — they 
"  speak  that  theji:  do  know,  and  testify  that  they  have 
seen."  It  is  said  of  Burns,  by  Dugald  Stewart,  that 
as  they  were  walking  together  one  morning,  in  the 
direction  of  the  Braid  Hills,  where  they  commanded  a 
prospect  of  the  adjacent  country,  the  poet  remarked, 
that  the  sight  of  so  many  smoking  cottages  gave  a 
pleasure  to  his  mind,  which  he  did  not  believe  any  one 
could  understand,  that  did  not  know  as  he  did,  how 
much  of  real  worth  and  happiness  such  hmnble  habita- 
tions might  contain.  My  testimony,  perhaps,  may  be 
supposed  to  be  too  favorable,  and  to  require  some  de- 
duction, on  two  accounts : — First  That  I  left  village 
life  early,  and  before  I  was  grown  up,  so  as  to  be  fully 
initiated  into  its  good  or  evil.  There  is  some  little 
force  in  this,  though  I  was  old  enough  to  observe,  and 
feel,  and  judge.  Secondly.  That  in  my  boyhood, 
village  life  was  superior  to  what  it  now  is.  This  de- 
serves notice ;  and  there  have  been,  I  fear,  many 
changes  for  the  worse,  I  need  not  describe  what  it  is 
at  present.  But  when  I  left  the  neighborhood  of  my 
native  place,  abject  penury,  and  extreme  destitution, 
and  sordid  suffering,  were  rarely  ever  to  be  seen. 
Most  even  of  the  cottagers  had  a  swine-sty,  and  baked 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM   JAY.  133 

their  own  bread ;  many  of  tbem  also  brewed  their  own 
beer,  or  made  cider,  and  if  not  for  constant  use,  had  a 
little  beverage  for  festivals  and  particular  occasions. 
Those  who,  during  mowing  and  reaping  seasons,  went 
forth  to  labor  carried  their  bottle  afield  with  them,  and 
were  generally  supplied  at  meals  with  cold  or  warm 
meat  and  vegetables.  Now,  bread  and  water,  with  few 
exceptions,  is  all  the  provision,  all  the  support,  all  the 
comfort,  thousands  of  men,  women,  and  children  have 
amidst  the  burning  sunshine,  and  exhausting  labor  of 
a  summer's  day.  I  was  lately  walking  in  time  of 
harvest  with  an  intelligent  and  humane  farmer,  among 
a  number  of  hard-working  peasants,  who  said  to  me, 
"  You  see  these  thin  meagre  figures,  with  patched  and 
ragged  clothing — they  have  been  toiling  here  from 
early  d^wn,  to  this  scorching  noon,  and  have  had, 
perhaps,  little  more  than  a  can  of  water  and  a  crust 
of  bread ;  and  will  toil  on  till  evening  calls  them  to  a 
similar  repast  at  home,  and  sleep,  to  their  only  rest. 
Oh,  sir,"  said  he,  "  nothing  surprises  me  so  much,  as 
the  honesty,  and  quiet  submission,  and  unresistless- 
ness  of  these  sufferers;  and  we  cannot  reach  and 
change  their  state." 

"  Let  not  ambition  mock  their  useful  toil, 
Their  homely  joys  and  destiny  obscure  ; 
Nor  grandeur  hear  with  a  disdainful  smile 
The  short  and  simple  annals  of  the  poor." 

I  am,  &C. 


LETTER    XIII. 

HIS   COURSE   OF   READING: FAVORITE    AUTHORS: DR.    OWEX  : — 

ROBERT    hall's    OPINION    OF    IIIM    CONTROVERTED  : FAVORITE 

COMMENTATORS   AND   DIVINES: METHODS   OF   STUDY: COMPO- 
SITION : MRS.    MORE's   ADVICE   TO    HIM. 

My  dear  Children, — I  feel  at  a  loss  to  determine 
what  particulars  to  communicate  concerning  myself; 
but  some  things,  not  generally  interesting  to  others, 
may  be,  in  a  measure,  gratifying,  if  not  useful,  to  my 
own  relations,  and  partial  friends. 

I  would  now  advert  to  my  reading.  Here  I  never 
pursued  any  particular  plan,  but  was  much  determined 
by  accident,  and  led  by  opportune  circumstances.  I 
am  not  recommending  or  justifying  this  course,  but 
stating  a  fact.  I  was  never  accustomed  to  write  out 
extracts  from  authors.  This  I  lament,  as  there  are 
many  passages  I  should  be  glad  to  review,  but  know 
not  where  to  find  them  in  volumes  I  shall  probably 
never  have  time  to  look  through  again. 

I  was  always  a  devourer  of  books  that  came  in  my 
way,  and  to  read  the  more  and  not  commanding  thi 
leisure  I  wished,  I  have  learned  to  read  with  great 
rapidity,  so  that  I  can  throw  my  eye  over  tlie  i:)ages, 
and  dispatch  a  tolerable  publication  at  one  or  two  sit- 
tings.    My  reading  also  was  very  miscellaneous.     I 


AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  THE  REV.  WILLIAM  JAY.        135 

seldom  refused  anything  tliat  came  in  my  way,  as  I 
found  there  was  nothing  that  fell  under  the  notice 
of  a  minister  but  may  be  turned  to  some  account.  I 
therefore  did  not  restrict  my  attention  to  works  advo- 
cating the  sentiments  of  my  own  denomination.  I 
was  fond  of  scanning  periodicals,  few  of  which,  of  any 
note,  escaped  me.  Though  a  dissenter,  I  always  read 
and  admired  the  "  Christian  Observer,"  and  took  it  in 
from  the  beginning.  Though  a  cordial  believer  in 
evangelical  principles,  I  never  omitted  those  Cyclops 
of  literature  the  Edinburgh  and  Quarterly  Eeviews ; 
on  general  subjects — and  how  many  of  these  are  there ! 
— I  have  derived  profit  from  divines,  whose  theologi- 
cal views  have  differed  widely  from  my  own.  In  di- 
vinity, and  for  unction,  illustration,  excitement,  and 
effect,  I  have  much  preferred  the  old  authors  to  most 
of  the  moderns,  I  love  not  to  be  singular,  but  I  never 
could  applaud  Baxter  ahove  his  brethren.  He  was  a 
most  holy  and  heavenly-minded  man,  but  I  am  speak- 
ing of  him  as  an  author.  He  was  often  too  speculative 
and  metaphysical;  and  he  confessed  and  lamented  it 
before  his  death.  He  knew  his  skill,  and  therefore  at- 
tempted to  saw  the  beams  of  cobwebs  into  planks,  and 
multiplied  distinctions  as  well  as  particulars,  to  the 
perplexity  of  the  reader.  His  more  experimental  and 
practical  writings  are  very  excellent ;  but  I  never  per- 
ceived more  spirituality,  or  seriousness,  or  earnestness, 
in  them,  than  in  the  productions  of  many  of  his  contem- 
poraries. Does  he  in  these  qualities  surpass  AUeine, 
and  Howe,  and  others  of  his  brethren  ? 

Leighton  and  Newton  were  always  with  me,  very 
favorite  authors.  What  men  of  God  were  these ! 
AVhat  a  Christian  spirit,  what  a  Scriptural  manner, 


136  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

what  an  experimental  knowledge,  what  a  devotional 
savor,  do  we  always  find  in  their  writings  !  When  a 
very  young  preacher,  I  was  much  struck  with  Dr. 
Hunter,  and  still  more  with  Saurin.  This  eloquent 
author  made  such  an  impression  upon  me,  that  I  in- 
stantly began  to  learn  French,  to  be  able  to  read  him 
in  the  original,  and  to  j^eruse  the  remainder  of  his  un- 
translated sermons,  as  well  as  his  other  works.  By 
this  acquisition  I  gained  accession  to  the  writings  of 
many  French  divines.  Catholic  and  Protestant,  many 
of  which  I  continue  to  value. 

But  as  we  advance  towards  maturity  of  taste  we 
shall  relish  the  natural  more  than  the  artificial,  and 
not  only  distinguish  between  finery  and  elegance,  but 
perceive  that  the  one  is  destructive  of  the  other.  For 
disentangling  a  subject  from  confusion,  for  the  power 
of  development,  for  genuine  simplification,  for  inven- 
tion, what  writer  ever  surpassed  Kobinson  of  Cam- 
bridge ?  Yet  the  sad  defection  of  this  inimitable  genius 
from  the  truth,  and  the  insinuations  by  which,  I  fear, 
he  aimed  to  sap  the  doctrines  he  did  not  openly  attack, 
render  familiarity  with  his  works  dangerous.  I  found 
it  so  with  regard  to  myself,  and  this  has  kept  me  from 
warmly  recommending  the  perusal  to  my  younger 
brethren,  who  are  often  in  nothing  "so  much  to  seek," 
as  in  simplicity  and  naturalness. 

The  composition  of  Davies's  Sermons,  of  New  Eng- 
land, is  too  equable  and  elaborate,  and  wants  relief  and 
shade ;  but  I  must  confess  no  discourses  ever  appeared 
to  me  so  adapted  to  awaken  the  conscience  and  impress 
the  heart.  In  reading  them,  one  seems  always  to  feel 
that  they  were  written  by  a  man  who  never  looked  off 
from  the  value  of  a  soul  and  the  importance  of  eter- 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  137 

nitj,  or  sought  for  anything  but  to  bring  his  hearers 
under  "  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come."  I  could 
wish  the  sermons  of  Flavel  (especially  by  some  of  our 
ministers)  were  more  known,  and  prized,  and  imitated. 
They  excel  in  evangelism  and  in  brevity  (not  the  com- 
mon character  of  the  age  in  which  they  were  written), 
and  in  avoiding  or  rendering  needless  much  explica- 
tion, its  room  being  occupied  by  natural  inferences  and 
striking  applications.  The  late  Dr.  Hall  spoke  much 
to  me  in  their  favor. 

Having  mentioned  the  name  of  this  truly  great  man,  I 
must  think  for  myself  even  in  his  presence,  and  express 
my  dissent  from  him  with  regard  to  Dr.  Owen.  I  think 
Mr,  Hall  must  have  conceived  a  prejudice  against  this 
eminent  theologian,  from  having  read  only  some  un- 
favorable specimen  of  his  works ;  for  I  am  persuaded, 
from  his  manner  when  Owen  was  mentioned  in  his 
company,  that  he  was  not  familiar  with  his  jDublications 
at  large.  However  this  may  be,  I  cannot  but  join 
Newton  and  Cecil  in  considering  him  the  prince  of  di- 
vines. We  let  go  some  of  his  controversial  works 
(though  even  these  display  much  learning  and  acu- 
men) ;  but  it  seems  not  a  little  strange  that  the  author 
of  the  "  Exposition  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews," 
and  "The  One  Hundred  and  Thirtieth  Psalm,"  and  the 
treatises  on  "  The  Spirit,"  and  on  "  The  Person  and 
Glory  of  Christ,"  and  on  "  Spiritual  Mindedness,"  and 
on  "  The  Mortification  of  Sin  in  Behevers,"  &c.,  should 
have  been  ever  called  "  a  continent  of  mud." 

As  to  commentators,  I  have  always  deemed  Mr. 
Scott,  upon  the  whole,  the  best  expositor  for  the  con- 
nected meaning  of  Scripture,  and  for  the  consultation 
of  ministers  in  any  difficulties.     The  very  first  page  I 


138  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

ever  wrote  that  appeared  in  print  was  in  recommenda- 
tion of  this  work.  This  may  seem  strange,  and  be 
deemed  assuming ;  but  the  work  was  then  coming  forth 
ill  numbers,  and  (not  the  autlior,  but)  the  publishers 
(;ravcd  testimonies  in  its  favor  from  every  one  who 
was  likely  to  influence  a  single  subscriber ;  and  these 
were  printed  on  the  wrappers  of  the  numbers  as  they 
came  out.  Yet  I  did  not  write  without  exercising  my 
judgment,  and  feeling  a  conviction  which  has  grown 
upon  me  ever  since.  But  for  private  and  pious  use  I 
never  found  anything  comparable  to  Henry,  which,  as 
old  John  Ryland  said,  "  a  person  cannot  begin  to  read 
without  wishing  he  was  shut  out  from  all  the  world, 
and  able  to  read  it  through,  without  stopping." 

I  always  much  j^referred  our  own  divines  to  foreign 
theologians,  especially  those  af  the  German  school — a 
growing  fondness  for  which  I  deemed  no  good  omen. 
I  have  also  much  prized  the  French  Huguenot  divines 
who  wrote  before,  and  some  rather  after,  the  Revoca- 
tion of  the  Edict  of  Nantes.  These  I  consider  as  de- 
servedly vying  with  our  own  theologians  in  talent  and 
Scriptural  knowledge,  and  considerably  before  tlicui 
in  composition,  with  the  exception  of  Bates.  Would 
God  there  was  a  revival  of  these  gi'cat  and  good  men 
in  their  now  infidel,  superstitious,  irreligious,  and  dis- 
tracted country ! 

As  to  my  studying,  I  never  set  apart  regularly  any 
particular  time,  thereby  reducing  the  exercise  to  a 
kind  of  mechanism,  or  compulsion.  I  endeavored  to 
think  more  habitually.  As  to  preaching,  I  chose  my 
texts  and  subjects  as  early  in  the  week  as  possible. 
Thus  I  not  only  had  always  something  to  fill  any  spare 
moments,  but  approaching  what  I  had  selected  for  dis- 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  139 

cussion,  without  constraint  and  repeatedly,  and  from 
different  sides  and  aspects,  it  opened  to  my  mind  more 
naturally  and  easily,  and  with  more  enlargement  and 
variety. 

After  a  nervous  malady,  and  to  avoid  sedentariness, 
I  also  much  accustomed  myself  to  think  abroad.  The 
practice  was  difficult  at  first,  as  my  attention  was  often 
diverted ;  but  I  soon  hy  use  acquired  the  power  of 
fixed  and  regular  application  ;  and  the  sceneries  of  na- 
ture rather  aided  than  injured  my  meditations ;  inspir- 
ing also  the  trains  of  my  reflection  with  a  freshness 
and  feeling  underivable  from  dry  and  dull  porings 
over  books.  In  these  musings  in  the  garden,  the 
meadow,  the  field,  the  wood,  the  leading  ideas  of  my 
discourse  soon  fell  into  their  proper  places,  and  a  di- 
vision resulted  without  much  effort ;  so  that,  when  I 
came  home,  I  had  only  to  secure  what  I  had  already 
found,  and  to  write  what  I  had  already  methodized  ; 
and  I  could  (without  short-hand,  which  I  lament  I 
never  learned)  by  various  contractions  and  natural 
signs,  easily  remembered,  include  much  of  my  subject 
in  a  small  compass.  I  seldom,  therefore,  ever  wrote 
a  sermon  at  full  length,  but  only  a  draft  or  sketch  (it 
is  commonly,  as  you  know,  called  a  skeleton),  more  or 
less  full,  according  to  its  requirements,  leaving  the 
subordinate  fiUings-up,  after  meditation  and  prayer,  to 
the  impressiveness  and  excitations  of  the  audience,  and 
the  delivery,  and  the  assistance  authorized  to  be  hoped 
for  where  means  have  been  duly  used.  Even  tliese 
notes  I  never  took  with  me  into  the  pulpit,  till  within 
the  past  year,  and  I  am  sorry  I  ever  took  them.  The 
memory,  like  a  friend,  loves  to  be  trusted,  and  seldom 
fails  to  reward  the  confidence  reposed  in  it. 


140  AUTOBIOGRAPHy   OF 

Though  I  did  not  -usually  write  my  sermons,  in  or- 
der either  to  read  or  mandate  them  (according  to  the 
Scottish  phrase  and  practice),  yet  I  rarely  neglected 
my  pen.  As  I  had  opportunity  I  was  constantly  com- 
mitting thoughts  and  sentiments  to  writing.  It  was 
one  of  the  advices  of  Mrs.  Hannah  More,  at  my  first 
acquaintance  with  her,  to  write  much.  "  It  matters 
not,  comparatively,"  said  that  extraordinary  woman 
(to  whom  I  early  owed  much),  "  on  what  a  young 
composer  first  writes  ;  by  the  constant  use  of  his  pen, 
he  will  soon  form  a  style ;  and  by  nothing  else  can  he 
attain  it."  She  also  recommended  writing  with  as 
much  celerity  as  possible,  regardless  of  trifling  inac- 
curacies. "  These,"  she  said,  "  should  not  be  suffered 
to  check  and  cool  the  mind.  These  may  be  safely 
left  for  correction  in  review ;  while  advantage  is  taken 
of  the  heat  of  composition  to  go  on  to  the  end ;  it 
being  better  to  produce  the  whole  figure  at  one  fusion, 
than  to  cast  successively  various  parts,  and  then  con- 
join them." 

I  always  composed  rapidly.  If  I  succeeded  at  all 
to  my  satisfaction,  it  was  commonly  at  once.  What  I 
produced  by  mere  dint  of  efibrt  seldom  pleased  me. 
The  mind  should,  indeed,  be  excited  by  love  to  the 
subject,  or  pleasure  in  the  study  ;  but  I  always  found 
a  consciousness  of  difiiculty  and  elaboration  unfavor- 
able to  success.  The  production  was  wanting  in  sim- 
plicity and  naturalness.  There  is  no  reaching  flowers 
by  ladders  and  balloons.  They  do  not  grow  in  the 
air,  but  in  the  ground.  They  are  not  above  our  head, 
but  at  our  feet.  We  find  them  in  walking.  We  bend 
to  view  them,  and  stoop  to  gather  them. 

I  always  found  one  thing  very  helpful  in  the  choice 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY,  14:1 

iiiid  in  the  study  of  my  subjects  for  preacliing.  It  was 
tlie  feeling  of  a  rightness  of  aim  and  motive, — i.  e.,  a 
simple  regard  to  usefulness  ;  and  a  losing  sight  of  ad- 
vantage, popularity,  and  applause.  This,  it  may  be 
said,  is  rather  a  moral  than  an  intellectual  auxiliary. 
Be  it  so.  But  we  know  who  has  said,  "  When  thine 
eye  is  single,  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  light." 
And  is  not  even  reputation  itself  better  and  more 
surely  acquired  when  it  follows,  than  when  it  is  pur- 
sued ?  If  we  do  not  lose  it,  we  corrupt  it,  by  making 
it  our  aim,  instead  of  leaving  it  to  follow  as  a  conse- 
quence in  the  discharge  of  duty,  and  so  making  it  the 
honor  that  cometh  from  God  only. 

With  regard  to  my  texts^  many  from  time  to  time 
gradually  occurred;  many  also  were  obtained  from 
the  Scriptures  read  in  our  family  worship ;  but  to 
avoid  the  loss  of  time  in  searching  for  others,  and  to 
secure  a  constant  suf&ciency,  I  followed  the  advice 
and  practice  of  Job  Orton.  I  procured  a  blank  book, 
and  wrote  at  the  top  of  the  page  any  passage  of  Scrip- 
ture that  impressed  me  with  the  thought  that  rendered 
it  striking.  One  part  of  the  book  in  the  same  way 
was  separately  allotted  for  texts  suited  to  particular 
subjects,  seasons,  and  occasions.  These  were  always 
increasing ;  and  to  this  store  I  repaired  if  no  other 
passage  immediately  offered. 

I  also  always  had  a  number  of  plans  of  sermons 
ready  for  use  beforehand^  in  case  I  should  be  deprived 
of  opportunity  or  fitness  for  my  usual  preparation  ; 
and  selcipm,  if  ever,  did  I  take  advantage  of  any  one 
of  them  from  idleness,  but  only  from  the  want  of 
health,  spirits,  or  leisure. 

I  am,  &c. 


LETTER    XIV. 

KEVIEW    OF    HIS   AX>'UAL  VISIT  TO    LOXDON,  AND   9ERVI0E3   AT   8UK- 

RBY  chapel: — REMARKS  ON   FREQUENT  PREACHING: VISIT  TO 

IRELAND  : REBELLION  : ALDERMAN  BUTTON,  HIS   HOST  : NO- 
TICE OF  JOHN  WALKER,  DUBLIN. 

My  dear  Children, — The  capabilities  of  preachers 
are  not  alwaj^s  to  be  estimated  by  their  performances. 
This  is  the  case  with  those  who  have  numerous  claims 
upon  them  for  public  service.  If  they  are  not  to  neg- 
lect their  various  other  duties,  what  adequate  prepar- 
ations can  they  secure  for  the  many  sermons  they  have 
to  deliver  ?  Dr.  Watts  laments,  in  a  letter  to  a  young 
divine,  that  he  was  so  soon  after  his  ordination  re- 
quired always  to  produce  two  discourses  every  week, 
and  rather  advises  him  to  make  use  of  published  as- 
sistance for  one  part  of  the  Sabbath.  But  those  among 
whom  I  began  m}^  efforts  were  all  accustomed  to  three 
sermons  every  Lord's-day,  and  one  at  least  in  the  week, 
and  a  private  meeting  besides.  In  addition  to  all  this, 
in  their  own  places,  the  mini  ■  ters  frequently  preached 
in  the  neighboring  villages.  To  all  this  I  was  early 
inured,  and  for  some  considerable  length  of  ti^pe,  and 
since  my  settlement  in  Bath,  I  have  always  had  to 
furnish  two  discourses  on  the  Sabbath,  and  one  in  the 
week,  together  with  a  private  admonitory  address ; 


AUTOBIOGEAPHY  OF  THE  EEV.  WILLIAM  JAY.        143 

not  to  mention  (by  no  means  unfrequent)  extra  en- 
gagements from  home. 

For  nearly  fifty  years  I  annually  supplied  Surrey 
Chapel.  In  this  I  yielded  to  the  importunity  of  Mr. 
Hill,  whom  I  found  it  difficult  to  refuse,  as  I  had 
rather  offended  him  by  declining  his  pressing  proposal 
to  enter  entirely  into  what  he  called  his  connexion, 
and  by  which  I  should  have  been  at  his  disposal,  to 
divide  my  labors  among  a  number  of  places  under  his 
influence,  if  not  authority.  From  taking  that  wrong 
step  (for  so  it  would  have  proved)  I  was  prevented  by 
the  care  and  wisdom  of  my  friend  and  father,  Mr. 
Winter,  who  foresaw  consequences  of  which  I  was 
not  aware. 

For  more  than  thirty  years  I  supplied  for  eight 
Sundays  yearly  (a  period  too  long  for  a  pastor  to  be 
absent  at  once  from  his  charge.)  Then  I  supplied  for 
six  Sundays,  then  for  four,  and  then  for  three  only. 
At  last  I  terminated  my  annual  engagement ;  and  I 
should  have  done  it  sooner,  had  not  many,  even  of  my 
reverend  brethren  in  London,  urged  me  to  continue 
the  service.  My  reason  for  gradually  shortening,  and 
entirely  resigning,  the  engagement,  was  not  for  want 
of  respect  and  attendance  in  the  congregation,  to  which 
I  was  much  attached,  or  want  of  pleasure  in  the  ser- 
vices ;  for  the  cause  had  become  much  endeared,  and  1 
had  often  found  the  place  to  be  none  other  than  the 
house  of  God,  and  the  gate  of  heaven.  But,  first,  my 
growing  disapproval  of  the  system  of  providing  for 
places  by  a  merely  successional  supply.  This  system 
wants  the  advantage  of  a  pastoral  relation,  and  robs 
many  churches  for  too  long  a  time  of  the  labors  of 
their  own  ministers,  while  it  affects  surrounding  con- 


144  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

gregations  by  tempting  hearers,  and  members,  to  leave 
their  own  phices,  to  follow  some  one  preacher  and 
some  another,  deservedly  or  undeservedly  23opular, 
with  whose  novelty  and  excitement  a  stated  pastor  can 
hardly  compete.  Secondly,  because,  in  consequence 
of  these  engagements,  I  had  less  time  and  liberty  to 
attend  to  occasional  calls  for  services  in  other  direc- 
tions ;  for  these  had  multiplied  from  the  various  resi- 
dences of  my  children,  and  the  amazing  increase  of 
new  religious  interests,  and  public  institutions  calling 
for  assistance. 

Though,  therefore,  I  curtailed  and  declined  my  visits 
to  London,  I  have  labored  more  in  the  country,  and 
have  been  oftener  abroad  preaching  on  particular 
occasions,  such  as  ordinations,  associations,  openings, 
and  re-openings  of  places  of  worship,  and  especially 
for  the  various  benevolent  societies  that  adorn  our  age 
and  bless  our  nation.  Judging  from  the  results,  I  was 
found  a  tolerably  successful  beggar,  and  was  made 
not  a  little  free  with,  under  that  mendicant  character. 
Had  not  David  numbered  the  people,  I  might  perhaps 
have  kept  an  account  of  the  multitude  of  collection 
sermons  which  I  have  dehvered.  But  I  can  truly  say 
that  nothing  has  afforded  me  more  pleasure  than  per- 
ceiving that  though  I  could  do  but  little  myself  in  the 
way  of  giving,  I  had  some  influence  to  aid,  through 
others,  so  many  schemes  of  civil  and  sacred  beneficence. 

But  in  the  course  of  these  services  my  mind  has  un- 
dergone some  variation,  and,  I  think,  imj^rovement. 
Though  I  have  not  been  much  at  sea,  I  have  observed 
that  a  kind  of  side  wind  is  the  best  for  filling  all  the 
sails,  and  for  securing  speed.  I  have,  therefore,  for  some 
years  past,  been  led  to  preach  very  few  direct  charity 


THE   EEV.    WILLIAM   JAY.  145 

sermons.  Many  of  the  subjects  of  these  appeals  are 
well  known,  and  the  common  enlargements  upon  them 
are  become  trite  and  satiating,  when  a  peculiar  frame 
of  soul  in  the  audience  is  necessary  ;  and  I  regard  it 
as  a  kind  of  desecration  of  the  place,  and  a  debasement 
of  the  glorious  Gospel,  to  deal  much  in  pounds,  shil- 
lings, and  pence.  I  therefore  more  generally  have 
chosen  a  very  evangelical  or  experimental  subject,  the 
warm  discussion  of  which  was  more  likely  to  produce 
in  my  hearers  a  favorable  state  of  mind  and  feeling  for 
every  good  work ;  so  that  at  the  close  of  the  service 
their  inquiry  would  be,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have 
me  to  do  ?"  And  I  have  only  had  to  present  the  case 
with  its  nature  and  claims,  all  tricks  and  teasings  be- 
ing unnecessary. 

In  these  occasional  services,  I  have  preached  as  I 
had  opjDortunity  for  all  parties  that  invited  me.  The 
thing  was  not  where  I  preached,  but  what  I  preached, 
and  I  never  felt  fetters  or  embarrassment ;  such  a  gen- 
eral agreement  is  there  now  on  those  leading  truths 
which  ought  on  these  occasions  to  be  called  forth. 
Such  interminglings  too  I  have  always  found  benefi- 
cial. They  tend  to  reduce  the  strangeness  that  keeps 
Christians  of  different  denominations  so  improperly 
from  each  other,  and  to  produce  that  spirit  which  will 
lead  us  to  exclaim,  "Behold  my  mother  and  my  breth- 
ren !  for  whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father  that 
is  in  heaven,  the  same  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and 
mother."  "Grace  be  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity." 

Once  I  visited  Ireland  for  six  weeks,  at  the  invita- 
tion of  what  was  then  called  "The  Evangelical  So- 
ciety."    This  Society  consisted  of  pious  individuals  of 

7 


146  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

every  {Protestant  and  Evangelical)  denomination,  who, 
forgetting  their  minor  differences,  were  anxious  to  do 
something  for  the  spiritual  good  of  their  countrymen, 
especially  in  Dublin,  by  employing  preachers  who  were 
likely  to  awaken  some  degree  of  attention.  They  pro- 
fessed only  to  defray  their  travelling  expenses,  without 
any  remuneration  of  their  labors.  I  was  one  of  the 
invited,  but  could  not  have  gone  at  a  less  favorable 
season.  The  rebellion  broke  out  the  very  day  after 
my  arrival ;  and  the  alarm  and  agitation  immediately 
folloAving,  together  with  the  fierceness  of  party  rage, 
were  such  as  for  the  time  to  injure,  if  not  destroy,  all 
serious  and  profitable  impressions  in  the  hearers.  I 
was  at  the  house  of  Alderman  Ilutton.  He  took  me 
in  his  carriage  (which  was  in  our  passage  several  times 
looked  into  by  the  soldiers  stationed  at  the  cross-roads) 
to  preach  one  week-day  afternoon  at  the  Black  Eock 
for  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kelly.  But  this  was  the  only  public 
service  in  which  I  could  be  engaged  out  of  Dublin,  be- 
ing by  martial  law  nearly  confined  to  the  city,  and  al- 
most to  the  house.  Every  Sabbath-day  morning  I 
preached  at  Dr.  M 'Do wall's  church.  He  had  a  large 
and  respectable  congregation  of  orthodox  presbyteri- 
ans,  but  displaying  little  of  the  power  of  godliness.  In 
the  evening  I  always  preached  at  Plunket-street  chapel, 
where  assembled  a  few  poorer  people,  but  whose  hearts 
God  had  touched.  I  also  several  times  preached  at  the 
Baptist  Meeting  in  St.  Mary's  Abbey. 

It  may  seem  surprising  that  a  temporary  missionary 
should  have  gone  at  such  a  period.  The  error  lay  en- 
tirely with  the  gentleman  at  whose  mansion  I  was  ac- 
commodated. Here  {in  England)  we  deemed  every- 
thing lowering  and  foreboding,  and  I  wrote  for  leave  to 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  I47 

resign  or  postpone  my  visit ;  but  lie  rather  ridiculed 
my  apprehension.  "  He  was  upon  the  spot."  "  He 
was  a  magistrate."  "He  well  knew  the  state  of  things." 
"  There  was  no  more  danger  in  Dublin  than  in  Bath." 
"  Come  and  fulfil  your  engagement."  I  went,  but  my 
preaching  was  in  a  sad  degree  dry  and  powerless,  and 
the  word,  I  feared,  produced  little  or  no  effect.  But 
in  what  a  state  did  I  find  religion  as  far  as  I  had  op- 
portunity for  observation  !  There  were  a  few  grains 
of  salt,  but  what  were  they  to  save  the  community 
from  entire  corruption  ?  Mr.  W.  (Walker)  was  then 
preaching  at  Bethesda  Chapel  and  Penitentiary,  built 
by  a  gentleman  at  this  time  one  of  my  congregation  in 
Bath.  Mr.  W.  was  a  man  of  erudition,  mind,  and  in- 
fluence, and  distinguished  as  rather  the  leader  of  the 
Evangelical  party  in  Dublin,  especially  among  the 
Episcopalians,  He  had  an  extreme  aversion  to  every- 
thing he  deemed  Arminian,  and  seemed  to  hate  Mr. 
Wesley  as  much  as  he  did  Dr.  Priestley.  He  was  too 
orthodox  to  be  evangelical,  i.  e.,  to  preach  the  Gospel 
to  every  creature,  and  betrayed  a  disdainful  censor- 
iousness  which  brought  to  mind  Solomon's  aphorism, 
"  Pride  goeth  before  destruction,  and  a  haughty  spirit 
before  a  fall."  He  soon  afterward  fell  into  one  discov- 
ery after  another,  till  "  the  light  that  was  in  him  be- 
came darkness,"  and  oh  !  how  great  was  that  darkness! 
But  there  were  several  most  excellent  young  men  be- 
longing to  the  university,  who  then  gave  promise  of 
what  they  have  since  become.  There  were  also  pri- 
vate meetings  successively  in  various  houses  for  social 
prayer,  in  which  persons  of  all  parties  zealously  en- 
gaged ;  and,  soon  after  I  left  Dublin,  a  considerable  re- 
vival commenced,  and  much  has  been  done  since  to . 


l-iS        AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  KEY.  WILLIAM  JAY. 

advance  the  cause  of  Christ  in  different  parts  of  that 
interesting  but  always  distracted  and  misgoverned 
couutry.  Had  the  same  exertions  been  made  in  for- 
mer years,  what  a  different  state  of  things  might  have 
been  now  witnessed ! 

I  am,  &c. 


LETTER    XV. 

VISIT  TO  8C0TLAND  FOR  LONDON  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  : — DR.  CHARLES 
STUART  : — LETTER  FROM  HIM  TO  ME.  JAY  : SUBSEQUENT  INTER- 
COURSE : APOLOGY    FOR   HIS    SEVERE    CRITICISMS    ON  MR.  JAY  : 

ANECDOTES  IN  PREACHING  : — REMARKS  ON  THE  SCOTTISH  CUSTOM 
OF  LECTURING  : HIS  OWN  PREPARATION  FOR  THE  PULPIT  : ^USE- 
FULNESS :■ — RIGHT  AIM  : EXTEMPORANEOUS   PREACHING  : STATE 

OF  THE  PULPIT  AMONG  NONCONFORMISTS : — METHODIST  EASE,  EAR- 
NESTNESS,   LIFE,    ETC.  : —ATTRACTION    FOR   THE    MASSES: 'UNION 

OF    THE    TWO    STYLES    OF    PREACHING  : BEST    CHARACTER   OF  : 

FAULTS  OF  SCOTTISH   PREACHERS,  THE  DRY  AND  THE  LUSCIOUS  : 

LONG  PREACHING. 

My  deae  Children,—  In  the  summer  of  18 —  I  vis- 
ited Scotland.  It  was  in  the  service  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society.  I  preached  my  way  thither,  on 
public  occasions,  at  Birmingham,  Manchester,  Halifax, 
Hull,  and  York.  At  the  latter  place  I  passed  a  whole 
Sabbath.  A  plan  was  to  have  been  in  readiness  to 
regulate  all  my  public  movements  when  I  arrived  at 
Edinburgh,  but  it  was  not  well  formed.  Hence  time 
was  frequently  lost,  and  due  notices  were  not  always 
forwarded.  The  neglect  was  occasioned  by  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  affair  of  arrangement  was  settled. 
Where  a  number  of  persons  are  engaged,  mutual  de- 
pendence upon  each  other  weakens  a  sense  of  individ- 
ual responsibility,  and  often  little  or  nothing  is  done. 
Had  the  ark  been  built  by  a  committee,  it  would  never 


150  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

have  been  finished.  In  the  case  to  which  T  am  refer- 
ring, one  should  have  been  appointt'd  for  tlic  purpose 
of  direction,  and  this  one  a  man  of  business  and  tact; 
while  here  several  individuals  were  concerned,  and  I 
believe  all  of  these  were  ministers,  who,  it  is  well 
known,  are  not  always  the  most  apt  and  punctual  be- 
ings in  the  world. 

Here  also  I  scarcely  preached  to  advantage,  and 
must  have  fallen  short  of  some  degree  of  fame  that 
had  preceded  me,  and  which  was  aided  by  the  report 
of  many  who  had  visited  Bath  in  a  course  of  years, 
and  had  heard  me  in  my  own  pulpit.  I  was  hurried 
and  perplexed,  and  wanted  that  freedom  from  bustle, 
and  that  retirement,  without  which  I  never  could  feel 
or  produce  much  impression.  The  principal  places  I 
preached  in  were  Edinburgh,  Falkirk,  Stirling,  Dum- 
blane,  Glasgow,  Paisley,  Greenock,  Largs,  and  the  Isle 
of  Bute.  In  four  of  these  places,  I  preached  in  tlie 
Established  Kirk,  as  well  as  among  the  Scceders  and 
Congregationalists.  From  the  beginning,  the  pulpits 
in  the  National  Church  of  Scotland  had  been  opened 
to  orthodox  divines  of  other  communions  ;  but  some 
little  time  before  mv  visit  Ihc  General  Assembly  had 
passed  a  decree  to  close  them.*     This  seemed  to  have 

*  This  reference  to  the  closing  of  the  pulpits  in  the  Established 
Kirk  of  Scotland  but  a  short  time  before  Mi-.  Jay's  visit,  enables  us 
nearly  to  fix  the  date  which  he  has  left  open  in  the  commencement 
of  the  present  letter.  It  is  well  known  that  the  Decree  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  was  attributed  to  the  first  visit  of  the  Rev.  Rowland 
Hill  and  his  itinerant  labors  in  Scotland.  That  visit  took  place  in 
the  year  1798.  Tlie  Decree  to  close  the  pulpits  against  ministers 
of  other  communions  probably  passed  the  Assembly  of  1799,  for  on 
Mr.  Hill's  second  visit  he  found  it  in  operation  against  him.  Mr. 
Jay'a^visit  we  maj',  thj^-efore,  suppose  from  his  language,  took  place 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY,  151 

been  done,  not  only  from  a  dislike  of  a  certain  kind  of 
doctrinal  preaching,  but  in  a  moment  of  irritation,  oc- 
casioned, perhaps,  in  a  measure  by  some  indiscreet 
acts  among  those  who  needed  only  to  have  preached 
the  testimony  of  God,  as  Whitfield  did,  who  knew 
"  nothing  save  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified."  It  is 
related  that  when  he  first  visited  Scotland,  the  excel- 
lent Erskines  rather  opposed  him  as  not  sufiiciently 
particular  and  discriminate  in  his  zeal ;  they  wished 
to  confine  his  labors  to  their  own  party,  and  not  to 
labor  in  the  Church  from  which  they  had  seceded, 
saying,  "  God  had  left  it."  Then  said  he,  "  It  is  the 
more  necessary  for  me  to  preach  in  it,  to  endeavor  to 
bring  him  back  :  I  '11  preach  Christ  wherever  they  '11 
let  me." 

It  was  hoped  at  this  time,  by  the  better  members 
of  the  Establishment,  that  such  a  decree  would  not 
long  remain  in  their  statute-book.  Some  from  the 
first  deemed  the  decree  more  honored  in  the  breach 
than  in  the  observance ;  and  it  was  pleasing  to  find 
how  soon,  in  some  actual  instances,  it  was  treated  as  a 
dead  letter.  The  last  General  Assembly  previous  to 
the  Secession  which  forms  the  "  Free  Church"  nobly 
abrogated  it ;  but,  as  it  was  expected,  the  Residuary 
Church  soon  re-enacted  it.  It  is  the  disgrace  and  the 
injury  of  a  Church  to  he  exclusive,  but  it  is  worse  to 
become  so,  and  to  become  so  when  knowledge  and  lib- 
erality prevail,  and  the  rights  of  conscience  are  so  much 
better  understood.     In  churches  just  emerging  from 

within  a  year  or  two.  So  ^iat  its  date  must  have  been  1800,  1801 
or  1802,  and  could  hardly  have  been  later,  or  he  could  not  have 
used  the  Tvords,  "some  little  time  before." 


152  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

the  bosom  of  anti-christianism,  or  rising  up  where  re- 
ligion was  so  identified  with  superstition,  when  bigotry 
and  intolerance  were  the  error  of  tlie  age,  as  well  as  of 
individuals,  some  degree  of  the  evil  can  hardly  be 
wondered  at,  and  may  be  for  a  time  tolerated.  But 
"  they  that  ^Iccp,  sleep  in  the  night,  and  they  that  are 
drunken  are  drunken  in  the  niglit ;  but  let  them  that 
are  of  the  day  be  sober."  It  is  lamentable  to  think 
that  the  Established  Church  of  England  has  become 
more  intolerant  than  it  was  formerl^^  Even  in  the 
days  of  Elizabeth,  other  Protestant  communities  were 
not  unchurched,  nor  the  ordinations  of  their  ministers 
deemed  invalid.  It  is  an  historical  fact,  that  what  can- 
not be  done  now  was  more  than  allowed  then ;  and 
that  divines  both  officiated  in  the  Establishment,  and 
obtained  preferments,  who  had  only  been  set  apart  by 
"  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  Presbytery."  In  Edin- 
burgh I  was  followed  by  that  good  and  talented,  but 
eccentric,  or  (at  least)  peculiar  character.  Dr.  Stuart. 
He  had  seceded  from  the  Church  of  Scotland,  but  no 
church  came  up  quite  to  his  standard  of  scriptural 
purity  and  order ;  and  therefore  it  is  said,  he  com- 
muned with  none  but  his  own  servant,  in  his  own 
house.  He  always  heard  more  like  a  judge  than  a 
learner.  He  weighed  everything  that  dropped  from  a 
preacher's  lips  in  the  nicest  scale  of  rigid  orthodoxy, 
and  was  never  backward  to  pronounce  "Tekel."  / 
was  not  therefore  very  likely  to  escape.  Accordingly 
I  soon  found  that  I  had  erred  in  my  opinion  concerning 
the  unlikely  supreme  prevalence  of  popery,  and  had 
shown,  with  regard  to  some  parties,  a  most  improper 
candor.  But  when  I  happened  to  preach  at  the  Rev. 
M^  Innes's  meeting,  from  the  words  of  John,  "Perfect 


THE  EEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  153 

love  castetli  out  fear,"  tiie  sermon  so'  pleased  Lim  tliat 
very  late  the  same  niglit  lie  "wrote  me  a  letter  mncTi 
importuning  me  to  give  it  to  the  pubhc,  as  the  best 
illustration  of  an  imj)ortant  principle  he  had  ever 
heard.     Here  is  the  letter  itself: — 

"  Mj  dear  Sir, — ^I  regret  very  much  that  my  state 
of  health  disqualifying  me  for  conversation,  has  not 
permitted  me  to  avail  myself  of  the  opportunity  of 
seeing  you.  I  have,  however,  been  privileged  with 
hearing  you  three  times ;  and  may  I,  though  without 
consultation  with  any  one,  earnestly  beseech  you  to 
let  the  discourse  of  to-night  appear  from  the  press  ? 
I  do  not  urge  this  lightly.  I  do  beg  it  of  you  from 
the  conviction  that  it  contained  the  truth  in  one  of  the 
most  striking  representations  I  ever  heard,  and  is 
suited  to  alarm,  rouse,  comfort,  animate ;  but  it  con- 
tains a  solution  of  various  difficulties  which  will,  T 
know,  disentangle  many.  That  it  coincides  with  my 
sentiments  is  nothing ;  in  so  far  I  beg  leave  to  enclose 
a  statement  of  it.  Only  meaning  to  confess  how  low 
it  is,  compared  with  the  practical,  admirable,  elevated 
view  of  it  you  delivered, 

"I  am,  my  dear  Sir, 

"  Your  most  obedient  servant, 

"  Charles  Stuart. 

"  Thursday  night." 

I  also  had  once  seen  him  in  London,  where  he  fre 
quently  heard  me ;  and  calling  upon  me  at  Surrey 
Chapel  House,  he  said  he  had  formerly  written  a  re- 
view of  my  sermons,  for  some  part  of  which  he  was 
now  sorry,  as  he  had  not  done  justice  to  the  evai'v  • 
7^ 


154  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

gelism  of  my  sentiments,  of  wliicli  lie  was  now  per- 
suaded froni  hearing  me. 

In  mj  long  public  life  and  various  pi'eacLings,  I 
have  met  with  no  few  of  these  "  tryers,"  who  had  or 
feigned  to  have  some  scruples  as  to  the  stanchness  of 
my  credenda;  but  I  never  quarrelled  with  them — never 
argued  with  them ;  but  took  care  never  to  flatter 
them,  or  court  their  favor.  "  Thou  shalt  not  bow 
down  to  them  nor  worship  them,  for  I  am  the  Lord 
tliy  God."  "  Call  no  man  master  upon  earth,  for  one 
is  your  master,  even  Christ."  In  this  journey,  I  al- 
ways felt  an  apprehension  which  had  a  conti-ncting 
and  depressive  influence.  It  was  the  thought  that  my 
mode  of  preaching  was  not  congenial  with  the  taste 
of  Scottish  audiences.  My  friend,  Mr.  Hughes,  who 
had  been  for  education  at  Aberdeen,  contributed  to 
this,  by  telling  me  when  I  was  going  to  Scotland,  that 
wliile  in  the  north  I  must  be  very  careful  and  guarded, 
and  forbear  freedoms^  and  especially  anecdotes,  which 
would  not  be  relished  or  endured  there.  A  man  al- 
ways works  best  when  he  works  in  his  own  way,  and 
I  know  I  should  do  better  with  my  sling  and  stones 
than  in  Saul's  armor.  My  preaching  could  never  dis- 
pense with  my  own  manner,  and  which  I  am  sure 
was  natural  to  me,  and  not  derived  from  the  scliools. 
Towards  the  conclusion  of  my  mission,  I  was  preach- 
ing in  the  Isle  of  Bute;  and  near  the  end  of  tlic  ser- 
mon I  mentioned  the  caveat  I  had  received  beibre  I 
left  England  ;  adding,  that  I  then  felt  a  strong  temp- 
tation to  break  through  it.  I  paused,  and  tlicn  said, 
*'  Well,  whatever  be  the  consequence,  I  will  introduce 
the  following  anecdote."  I  saw  it  told ;  and  the  min- 
isters, coming  afterwards  into  the  session-house  vestry. 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  155 

said,  ''  You  have  labored  under  a  great  mistake ;  we 
are  not  averse  to  anecdotes,  but  to  some  kinds  of  tliem, 
and  to  the  manner  of  relating  and  applying  any  of 
tbem.  When  they  are  well  chosen,  and  properly  in- 
troduced, they  are  peculiarly  acceptable,  as  they  are 
more  unusual  with  us,  and  we  want  excitement  more 
than  information." 

One  thing  struck  me  much  while  in  Scotland.  It 
was  their  lecturing,  which  I  believe  is  invariable  on 
the  morning  of  the  Lord's  day,  in  all  their  sanctuaries, 
both  in  the  Establishment  and  among  Seceders.  I 
had  only  before  very  rarely  employed  this  mode  of 
instruction,  but  ever  since  my  return  I  have  frequent- 
ly introduced  it.  I  once,  indeed,  had  begun  an  essay 
on  the  subject  in  order  to  recommend  the  practice,  to 
which  I  had  intended  to  annex  a  volume  of  such  ex- 
ercises. But  I  was  diverted  immediately  from  my 
purpose,  by  the  request  of  my  congregation  to  publish 
"  The  Christian  Character  Contemplated,"  which  I  had 
just  delivered.  It  is  perhaps  now  too  late  for  me  to 
resume  the  thing  ;  but  I  here  record  it  as  my  settled 
judgment,  that  nothing  would  be  more  profitable  to 
the  hearer,  and  useful  to  the  preacher ;  and  I  only 
wish  that  our  English  churches  would  more  encourage 
it,  and  our  ministers  seek  to  excel  in  it. 

Some  difhculty  at  first  arose  from  my  usual  method 
of  preaching,  which  is  very  textual ;  and  which  leads 
me  to  notice  the  several  parts,  and  often  even  the 
wording  of  the  text.  But  in  lecturing,  many  minute- 
nesses must  be  passed  over,  and  the  aim  must  be  to 
seize  and  display  the  spirit  or  design  of  the  whole  pass- 
age, and  bring  it  to  bear  upon  the  audience  in  practi- 
cal application.     Preachers  differ  in  their  talents,  and 


156  AUTOBIOGRAPUY   OF 

all  cannot  equally  succeed  in  the  same  department. 
But  let  none  decline  making  an  attempt  here,  or  be 
discouraged  if  their  efforts  be  not  crowned  with  imme- 
diate success.  In  due  time  they  may  reap  if  they  faint 
not. 

I  could  commonly  ascertain  before  I  left  the  study 
how  I  should  succeed  in  the  pulpit.  With  me  the  tug 
of  the  war  was  always  alone.  If  I  felt  that  I  had  grasp- 
ed my  subject,  and  could  gain  a  certain  frame  of  spirit 
made  up  of  the  solemn  and  the  tender,  I  rather  longed 
for  the  service  than  dreaded  it ;  and  this  was  very 
much  the  case  on  all  occasions,  the  more  extraordinary 
and  trying  ones  not  excepted. 

I  never  considered  an  essay  a  sermon,  or  a  sermon 
an  essay ;  I  always  loved  arrangement  and  division. 
I  am  aware  that  the  former  may  be  found  without  the 
latter,  and  intelligent  and  reflective  minds  may  recog- 
nize it ;  but  as  to  the  mass  of  hearers,  concealed  meth- 
od is  much  the  same  as  none.  And  why  should  it 
ever  be  concealed  ?  The  lower  orders  peculiarly  need 
it ;  it  relieves  and  quickens  their  attention ;  it  aids 
their  apprehension  and  understanding.  It  also  enables 
them  the  better  to  retain  and  carry  away  what  they 
hear ;  and  how  limited  is  the  efficiency  of  what  pleases 
and  interests  in  the  act  of  hearing  only  !  And  how 
desirable  is  it  that  our  people  should  keep  in  memory 
what  is  preached  unto  them,  that  they  may  not  believe 
in  vain ! 

Hence  it  is  much  to  be  wished  that  the  divisions 
should  be  short,  simple,  and  easy ;  the  language  every- 
where plain,  and  the  exemplifications  natural  and  fa- 
miliar. Few  can  imagine  how  much  I  have  always 
made  this  mv  aim  and  effort ;  nor  have  I  Ici^s  wished 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM   JAY.  157 

and  endeavored  to  be  in  some  measure  not  only  intel- 
ligible but  impressive.  This  is  no  easy  thing ;  and 
some  of  the  means  that  would  conduce  to  it,  especially 
among  the  vulgar,  are  b}^  many  too  much  overlooked 
or  despised.  But  is  it  not  strange  that  men  of  Grod, 
who  profess  to  be  ministers  in  a  kingdom  not  of  this 
■world,  and  wl-i  are  sent  to  seek  that  which  is  lost, 
should,  while  sitting  in  j  udgment«upon  their  mode  of 
preaching,  inquire  not  what  kind  of  address  and  illus- 
tration is  most  likely  to  be  useful  to  the  bulk  of  an 
audience,  but  what  agrees  best  with  the  most  admir- 
ed modes  of  composition,  Longinus,  or  Quintilian,  or 
Cicero,  has  more  authority  with  them,  even  in  the  things 
of  the  Spirit,  than  the  manner  of  the  sacred  writers. 
The  Jews  had  no  schools  for  dialectics  and  rhetoric ; 
their  orators  spoke  only  the  eloquence  of  nature. 
Rules  were  originally  derived  from  the  excellency  of 
works,  and  not  works  from  the  excellency  of  rules. 
Criticism  is  useful  in  its  degree  and  place ;  but  it  is 
not  a  standard  of  absolute  authority,  especially  with 
him  that  like  Paul  would  "  become  all  things  to  all 
men,  if  by  any  means  he  might  gain  some." 

I  early  preached  in  villages,  and  never  discontinued 
the  practice  as-  long  as  I  was  able  and  had  opportunity. 
I  ought  therefore  to  know  from  much  experiment  what 
is  required  in  such  services.  I  never  went  to  them 
■unprepared.  It  appeared  to  me  strange  that  any  should 
suppose  that  less  care  and  labor  are  necessary  in  prep- 
aration as  those  we  address  are  less  disciphned  and 
qualified  to  receive  instruction.  I  always  peculiarly 
studied  for  the  occasion,  only  my  study  was  how  to 
be  intelligible  and  interesting.  The  minds  of  the  rus- 
tics are  net  inaccessible,  but  you  must  take  the  trouble 


158  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

to  find  the  avenues  to  them.  There  are  modes  of  mak- 
ing them  look  eagerly,  and  hang  upon  the  preacher's 
lips  ;  and  the  preaelier  who  secures  tlicir  attention, 
whatever  some  think,  has  the  honor  of  resembling  him 
of  "w  hom  it  was  said,  "  the  common  people  heard  him 
gladly." 

Persons  of  education  may  be  approached  through 
mere  intellect,  but  the  poor  generally  are  like  women 
whose  heads  are  in  their  hearts.  They  are  like  poets, 
who  feel  before  they  think.  Application  with  them  is 
an  effect  rather  than  a  cause.  They  attend  not  to  feel, 
but  must  be  made  to  feel  in  order  to  attend.  When 
will  preachers  remember  the  observation  of  Rollin, — 
viz.,  that  "  the  eloquence  of  the  Scripture  is  the  elo- 
quence of  things,  and  not  of  words,  and  therefore  it  is 
that  so  much  of  the  spirit  and  mode  of  the  original 
sliows  itself  even  in  the  plainness  of  the  translation." 

I  seem  disposed  to  continue  a  little  longer  in  the 
same  strain.  I  shall  therefore  venture  a  few  more  re- 
marks freely  with  regard  to  preaching. 

Upon  the  principle  before  mentioned,  the  ex  re  nata 
of  extemporary  speaking  will  always  be  more  effective 
than  what  is  read  from  comi^osed  documents  doled  forth 
from  mere  recollection.  Animation  is  desirable,  and 
Avith  ordinary  minds  no  other  quality  will  fully  supply 
the  want  of  it ;  but  then  it  must  appear  to  be  the  re- 
sult of  feeling.  Whenever  this  is  really  the  case,  the 
animation  will  glow  and  rise  with  the  subject.  What 
is  continuous  and  invariable  must  be  mechanical  and  as- 
sumicd.  This  is  a  sad  secret  let  out  by  the  uniform  and 
constant  bawlers  or  strainers.  I  have  heard  a  whole 
sermon  from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  whatever  in- 
equalities there  were  ii    the  importance  of  the  parts, 


THE  REV.   WILLIAM  JAY,  159 

delivered  precisely  in  the  same  degree  of  tone  and 
forced  veliemency.  But  how  can  the  fire  precede  the 
friction?  And  how  can  all  the  picture  be  light  with- 
oat  shade  ? 

Nothing  that  requires  a  lengthened  connection  of  ar- 
gumentation will  succeed  with  ordinary  hearers.  They 
are  not  accustomed  to  unbroken  trains  of  thought  or 
discussion.  With  them,  if  the  preacher  be  wise,  he 
will  find  out  acceptable  words ;  for  the  words  of  the 
wise  are  as  goads  and  as  nails.  The  mass  are  not 
mathematical ;  they  are  not  logical.  The  deep  and 
the  subtle  in  reasoning  will  commonly  escape  them. 
Yet  there  is  often  in  them  largely  the  principle  of  com- 
mon sense  ;  and  they  are  capable  of  taking  in  even  a 
profound  proof  or  argument,  if  it  be  despatched  with 
brevity  and  plainness.  It  is  also  very  advantageous, 
if  not  necessary,  in  their  case,  to  attach  to  the  proof 
or  argument  some  fact  or  image,  not  in  evidence,  (for 
metaphors  prove  nothing),  but  in  illustration.  Thus 
a  kind  of  handle  is  given  to  the  subject,  by  which 
they  are  enabled  to  lay  hold  of  and  carry  away  what 
would  else  be  too  large,  or  unfit  for  their  grasp. 

I  have  always  thought  the  regular  Dissenters  were 
to  blame  at  the  origin  of  Methodism.  They  did  not 
indeed  oppose,  as  the  Church  generally  did,  on  the 
ground  of  doctrine,  for  in  this  they  essentially  ac- 
quiesced, but  as  to  the  mode  of  preaching.  The  Dis- 
senters were  educated  ministers  themselves,  (for  at  that 
time  there  was  scarcely  a  lay-preacher  among  them,) 
and  their  sermons  were  not  only  orthodox  but  studied, 
gi'ammatically  correct,  and  methodical ;  but,  with  a 
very  few  exceptions,  pointless,  cold,  and  drawled  off 
froiT   notes.     On  the  other  hand,  many  of  the  new 


160  AUTOBIOGRAPnY   OF 

preachers  bad  not  been  trained  for  the  ministry  ;  and 
delivered  themselves  in  a  way  ver}^  unacceptable,  in 
many  respects,  to  cultivated  minds.  They  were  often 
boisterous,  rude,  coarse,  incoherent.  Yet  they  were 
powerful  and  efficient ;  and  noise  and  novelty  will  not 
account  for  all  the  effect  they  produced.  Reflecting 
men  might  have  perceived  this.  Our  ministers  saw 
that  the  meeting  was  thinly  attended,  and  that  crowds 
were  drawn  to  the  Tabernacle,  Instead  of  listening 
to  reports,  (which  always  magnified  the  mistakes  of 
these  men,)  and  dwelling  so  much  upon  their  defi- 
ciencies, they  should  have  owned  that  God  honored 
them  and  did  much  good  by  them ;  they  should  have 
heard  and  judged  for  themselves;  they  should  have 
examined  whether  there  were  not  some  things  in  which 
these  laborers  (for  such  indeed  they  were)  deserved  not 
only  1o  be  tolerated  bnt  even  imitated.  And  there 
were  a  few  who  nobly  differed  from  the  many  of  the 
general  body.  They  were  candid  and  judicious  enough 
to  own  these  men,  witliout  approving  everything  in 
them.  They  perceived,  that  with  all  their  supposed 
or  real  faults,  they  had  an  earnestness  in  their  manner, 
with  strokes  of  fancy,  touches  of  passion,  striking 
metaphors,  plain  anecdotes,  bold  addresses  and  char- 
acteristic applications  to  the  conscience,  whicli  might 
be  detached  from  their  accompanjnng  improj)rieties, 
and  adopted  in  an  improved  state,  in  combination  with 
elements  of  their  own;  accordingly,  these  soon  dis- 
played, in  addition  to  their  own  superior  learning,  ac- 
curacy, and  order,  an  ease  and  a  liveliness  which,  as 
ministers,  they  knew  not  before. 

And  it  is  this  union,  so  to  speak,  of  the  Dissenter 
and  Methodist  that  has  produced  the  better  style  of 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM   JAY.  161 

preaching  than  either  of  them  had  separately  attained. 
The  J  have  corrected  and  improved  each  other ;  and 
introduced  freedom  without  irregularity,  arrangement 
without  stiffness,  animation  without  violence,  soberness 
without  dulness,  solemnity  without  sanctimoniousness, 
readiness  without  rapidity,  and  plainness  without  vul- 
garity. 

With  regard  to  subjects^  what  I  have  always  deemed 
the  best  kind  of  preaching  is  neither  highly  doctrinal 
nor  dryly  practical ;  but  distinguished  by  what  I  should 
call  experimentality^  or  a  constant  blending  of  the  doc- 
trine and  practice  of  the  gospel  strongly  with  the  af- 
fections and  feelings.  Many  of  our  northern  divines 
have  been  sadly  deficient  here.  Their  sermons  have 
had  theology  enough  in  them  and  were  well  method- 
ized ;  but  there  was  little  in  them  to  rend  or  to  melt. 
How  much  of  "  The  Scotch  Preacher"  (not  the  last) 
might  be  read  through  without  the  troublesomeness  of 
a  single  emotion  !  This  Avas  an  extreme  from  the 
"  Marrow  Divines,"  and  a  mode  of  evangelical  compo- 
sition which  for  a  good  while  obtained  there,  best  de- 
nominated, perhaps,  by  the  "luscious."  In  many  in- 
stances, preaching  is  now  getting  towards  the  right 
medium  in  Scotland,  and  our  brethren  there,  with  the 
talents  and  learning  which  distinguish  them,  are  likely 
to  become  able  ministers  of  the  New  Testament,  not 
of  the  head  only,  but  also  of  the  heart. 

There  is  nothing  against  which  a  preacher  should  be 
more  guarded  than  length.  "  Nothing,"  says  Lament, 
"  can  justify  a  long  sermon.  If  it  be  a  good  one  it 
need  not  be  long  ;  and  if  it  be  a  bad  one  it  ought  not 
to  be  long."  Luther,  in  the  enumeration  of  nine  qual- 
ities of  a  good  preacher,  gives  as  the  sixth, — "  That  he 


162        AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  REV.  WILLIAM  JAY. 

sliould  know  Avhen  to  stop."  Bojle  1ms  an  essay  on 
patience  under  long  preaching.  This  was  never  more 
wanted  since  the  Commonwealth  than  now,  in  our 
own  day,  especially  among  our  young  divines  and 
academics,  who  think  their  performances  can  never 
be  too  much  attended  to.  I  never  err  this  way  my- 
self but  my  conviction  alwaj^s  laments  it;  and  for 
many  years  *>fter  I  began  preaching  I  never  offended 
in  this  way.  I  never  surpassed  three-quarters  of  an 
hour  at  most.  I  saw  one  excellency  was  within  my 
reach — it  was  brevity,  and  I  determined  to  obtain  this. 

I  am,  &c. 


LETTER    XVI. 

CRITICISM  ON  HIS  SERMONS  : — DEFENCE  OF  HIS  METHOD  : AMERICAN 

REVIVAL    PREACHING  : SCRIPTURAL    LANGUAGE  : — OBJECTORS  : 

PASTORAL  visiting: COMPLAINTS: HIS  EXPLANATION. 

My  dear  Children, — I  cannot  be  ignorant  that, 
besides  frequent  references  to  my  sermons  on  public 
occasions,  my  preaching  has  been  more  expressly 
criticized  in  different  publications.  Six  of  these  have 
come  under  my  view.  A  man  would  not  be  allowed 
to  be  a  judge  in  his  own  case,  or  otherwise  I  could  say 
that  neither  the  commendations  that  have  been  gra- 
ciously given  me,  nor  the  defects  which  have  been  no- 
ticed, have  appeared  to  myself  very  appropriate  or 
discriminative ;  nor  has  the  secret  of  the  degree  of 
impression  which  I  have  produced  (and  which  has 
been  rather  extensive  as  well  as  durable)  been  very 
justly  explained.  If  I  considered  myself  competent 
to  supply  the  deficiency,  it  would  be  indelicate  to  at 
tempt  it ;  though,  when  this  is  read,  I  shall  be  beyond 
the  reach  of  human  praise  or  censure. 

One  thing  I  cannot  help  remarking.  I  never  saw 
any  allusion  to  my  preaching  as  abounding  more  with 
images,  and  facts,  and  instances  of  things,  than  what 
commonly  prevails.  K  I  have  not  succeeded  in  this, 
the  practice  has  not  always  accorded  with  ni}-  convic- 


164  AUTOBIOfiRAniY    OF 

tion,  find  aim,  and  endeavor.  Bunyan's  motto,  bor- 
rowed from  Ilosca,  could  never  be  used  by  some 
preachers — "I  have  used  similitudes,"  But  such  a 
usage  is  sanctioned  by  the  constitution  of  human  na- 
ture, and  recommended  by  the  example  of  Him  who 
"  spake  as  never  man  spake."  Dr.  Carey  is  reported 
to  have  said  to  a  young  minister  who  had  preached 
before  him,  "M}- young  friend,  I  have  much  approved 
of  your  sermon,  but  it  had  one  deficiency,  it  had  no 
'  luces'  in  it."  And  when  asked  for  an  explanation,  he 
added,  "  Why,  when  you  read  our  Lord's  discourses, 
you  constantly  meet  with  the  expression.  The  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  like  unto  leaven,  like  unto  mustard- 
seed,  like  unto  a  net,  like  unto  a  marriage,  and  so  on. 
Now  never  preach  again,  my  young  friend,  without 
some  '  lihes'  in  your  addresses." 

God,  the  only  wise  God,  who,  having  made  us, 
knows  what  is  in  man,  and  what  is  necessary  to  him, 
has  given  us  the  largest  proportion  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments  in  the  form  of  history  and  biography.  Is 
it  not,  therefore,  strange  that  public  instructors  should 
lose  sight  of  God's  method,  and  be  always  getting  into 
the  commonness  of  declamation,  or  the  dryness  of 
speculative  discussion  ?  "A  story,"  says  Cecil,  "  will 
hold  a  child  by  the  ear  for  an  hour  together,"  and 
"  men  are  but  children  of  a  larger  growth." 

Nearly  allied  to  this  is  another  thing  in  which  the 
sacred  writers  (did  we  deem  them  worthy  our  imita- 
tion) would  usefullj^  guide  us.  Instead  of  defining, 
they  describe  ;  and  instead  of  describing,  they  exem- 
plify. They  hold  forth  everything,  not  in  the  naked- 
ness of  abstraction,  but  clothed  with  their  atti-ibutes, 
and  palpable  in  their  effects.     To  show  us  what  the 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JA  f.  165 

power  of  religion  is,  thej  tell  us  wliat  it  does.  The 
believer  comes  to  Christ.  The  penitent  holes  on  him 
whom  he  has  pierced,  and  mourns.  We  have  not  the 
rules  and  tactics  of  the  war,  but  we  see  the  warrior 
from  his  arming  till  he  has  triumphed.  We  have  not 
the  representation  of  the  pilgTimage,  but  we  have  the 
pilgrim,  and  follow  him  step  bj  step  from  the  city  of 
destruction  up  to  the  celestial  abode. 

If  I  mention  some  things  which  have  been  noticed 
in  my  style  of  preaching,  not  censoriously,  yet  rather 
in  a  way  of  complaint,  it  will  not  be  for  the  purpose 
of  defence,  but  explanation.     It  will  then  be  seen,  if 
I  have  erred,  that  it  has  been  more  by  rule  than  by 
thoughtlessness ;  and  the  reader  will  be  left  at  full  lib- 
erty to  judge  for  himself.     I  am  aware  of  what  has 
been  said  of  the  importance  of  unity  of  design  in  a 
discourse,  especially  by  Mr.  Fuller,  who  so  well  exem- 
plified his  own  advice.     With  this  mode  I  have  not 
been  wanting  sometimes  to  comply,  and  I  have  occa- 
sionally found  great  advantage  in  selecting  a  single 
sentiment,   and  pursuing  it  through  the  whole  dis- 
course.   But  I  have  much  more  generally  followed  the 
textual  treatment,  deriving  the  contents  of  the  sermon 
from  the  parts  and  even  the  terms  of  the  passage,  and 
this  unavoidably  rather  trenches  on  unity.     But  may 
not  the  want  of  unity  in  the  subject  be  compensated, 
and  more  than  compensated,  by  variety  ?   In  the  Drama, 
much  has  been  written  of  the  unities  by  the  French, 
who  also  always  boasted  of  their  maintaining  them. 
But  has  one  of  their  authors  anything  equal  to  the 
mixed  productions  of  Shakspeare,  who  often  violates 
them  aU  ?     But  in  preaching  it  should  be  remembered 
what  diversities  of  persons  and  cases  there  are  before 


166  ALTOBIOGHArHY   OF 

US  at  every  service,  and  how  unlikely  these  diversities 
are  to  be  reached  by  the  very  same  thing.  We  are 
rightly  to  divide  the  word,  and  give  to  each  a  portion 
of  meat  in  due  season.  The  Day  of  Judgment  admits 
of  many  separate  views.  It  may  be  considered  as  a 
day  of  aggregation — a  day  of  separation — a  day  of 
manifestation — a  day  of  retribution.  And  Bourdaloue 
or  Massillon  would  confine  himself  to  one  of  these  ex- 
clusively. But  would  this  be  likely  to  be  so  useful, 
or  to  strike  various  and  different  minds,  as  a  few  bold 
strokes  on  all  of  them  ? 

An  American  divine  was  one  day  endeavoring  to 
account  to  me  for  the  effect  of  their  revival  preaching. 
He  ascribed  much  of  it  to  its  restriction  to  one  thing, 
observing,  for  instance,  that  though  repentance  may 
be  considered  as  including  conviction,  contrition,  con- 
fession, conversion,  and,  as  necessary  to  the  whole, 
looking  on  Him  whom  we  have  pierced — they  should 
not  notice  these  together,  but  give  each  a  separate  and 
distinct  discourse.  But  the  same  individuals  may  not 
hear  all  these  distinct  discourses  ;  and  if  other  persons 
drop  in  and  hear  only  one  of  them,  how  defective  may 
his  information  be  !  I  could  not  divide  in  the  same 
sermon  the  cause  and  the  effect.  I  could  not  preach 
repentance  without  preaching  the  Cross.  How  is  the 
one  to  be  j)roduced  without  the  other?  Let  us  read 
the  Acts  and  the  Epistles. 

Some  have  complained  of  my  sermons  being  filled 
\\ith  too  much  Scripture.  If  this  be  an  error,  it  is 
surely  on  the  right  side  ;  and,  as  Dr.  Geddes  says,  "  I 
love  to  give  God's  children  plenty  of  their  own  bread." 
T  am  sure  of  this,  that  I  never  used  quotations  from 
the  Scripture  merely  to  fill  up  or  to  lengthen  out  a 


THE   llEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  167 

discourse ;  and  I  trust  I  have  never  introduced  any 
fancifully  or  regardlessly  of  the  mind  of  the  Spirit ; 
3'et  I  own  there  is  here  occasionally  some  excess ;  and 
it  has  probably  resulted  from  my  familiarity  with  the 
language  of  the  Bible,  having,  before  many  other  books 
came  in  my  way,  read  it  much,  and  committed  much 
to  memory. 

Am  I  to  allow  the  charge  of  too  much  amplification 
and  diffuseness  in  my  preaching?  When  Mr.  Pitt 
once  received  an  intimation  of  this  kind,  with  regard 
to  his  speeches,  his  episcopal  biographer  tells  us  he 
made  this  reply :  "A  man  who  addresses  a  popular 
assembly  must  either  use  repetition  or  diffusion  ;  and 
I  prefer  the  latter."  If  he  deemed  this  needful  in  sibch 
an  assembly  as  he  addressed,  can  it  be  unnecessary  in 
ministers  when  speaking  to  a  mixed  multitude,  many 
of  whom  have  little  education  or  talent,  and  were 
never  accustomed  to  any  fixed  application  of  mind  ? 
We  should  consider  that  what  either  in  confirmation 
or  illustration  is  superfluous  for  one  hearer,  is  even  in- 
sufficient for  another.  We  often  see  as  we  go  on  in 
our  discourse,  from  the  straining  attention  of  some  in 
the  crowd,  that  we  have  not  yet  succeeded  in  what  we 
have  spoken.  Are  we  then  to  go  forward  without 
making  another  attempt  with  some  change  of  address 
or  variation  of  imagery  ?  The  eloquent  Isaiah  would 
say,  "Precept  must  be  upon  precept,  precept  upon 
precept ;  line  upon  line,  line  upon  line  ;  here  a  little, 
and  there  a  little." 

Who  has  entirely  escaped  the  reflection  of  freedom's 
degenerating  into  vulgarity  and  coarseness  ?  Certain- 
ly not  a  Shakspeare,  a  Burke,  a  Hopkins,  or  a  South. 
Certainly  not  many  of  our  most  forcible  writers ;  and 


168  AUTOBIOGIIAPHV   OF 

they  incurred  the  accusation  because  of  their yorce.  In 
aiming  at  great  impression  and  cflect  there  is  always 
some  danger.     There  is  none  in  tame  correctness. 

"  Tliey  who  crnwl 
Can  never  fall." 

But  they  who  rise  and  they  who  run  may.  Yet  is 
not  occasional  failure  in  attempt  better  than  perpetual 
deficiency  and  indifference  ?  Have  not  a  thousand 
beauties  been  snatched  from  the  very  verge  of  impro- 
priety ?  May  not  a  man  deserve  the  rebuke  of  Quin- 
tilian,  who,  speaking  of  a  certain  author,  says,  "  His 
greatest  excellence  was  that  he  had  no  fault,  and  his 
greatest  defect  that  he  liad  no  excellence  "  ? 

Give  me  an  impressiveness  and  an  excitement  that 
will  not  allow  a  hearer  to  perceive  a  fault,  or,  if  he 
does,  leaves  him  no  mind  to  regard  it.  And  is  there 
nothing,  if  not  to  applaud,  yet  to  extenuate,  in  even  a 
mistake,  in  endeavoring  to  do  good  to  those  who  are 
destitute  of  a  thousand  advantages,  and  whose  condi- 
tion is  such  that  they  must  be  sought  after  ?  We  do 
not  admire  their  low  and  grovelling  taste,  yea,  we  wish 
to  raise  and  improve  it ;  but  how  is  this  to  be  done  if 
we  never  approach  them  ?  Can  you  take  up  a  child 
from  the  ground  without  bending  ?  And  when  kind- 
ness makes  you  stoop,  honor  crowns  condescension. 

I  have  found  it  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  give 
satisfaction  to  a  certain  class  of  hearers,  while  wishing 
to  do  justice  to  tlie  Scripture  at  large.  Some  of  these 
objectors  (for  I  could  not  think  so  of  all)  have  been 
good  men,  but  of  contracted  views.  I  admired  their 
love  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  their  peculiarly 
relishing  it  when  brought  forward  in  a  discourse.     I 


THE   EEV.   AVILLIAM   JAY.  169 

acknowledge  also  that  a  minister  should  frequently 
and  largely  dwell  upon  it,  and  treat  everything  in  con- 
nection with  it.  But  this  connection  extends  much 
further  than  tbey  seem  to  suppose.  It  does  not  follow 
that  because  one  point  is  to  be  made  more  prominent 
in  a  discourse,  all  others  are  to  be  disregarded.  We 
are  no  more  to  abridge  than  to  mangle  the  Grospel. 
We  must  keep  back  nothing  that  is  profitable,  but  de- 
clare the  whole  counsel  of  God.  It  will  be  better  to 
be  able  at  last  to  make  the  appeal,  "I  am  free  from  the 
blood  of  all  men,"  than  to  find  that  we  have  succeed- 
ed in  gratifying  the  taste  of  a  few,  whose  preference  is 
of  little  value  in  the  possession,  and  commonly  a  snare 
in  the  obtaining. 

The  apostles  are  our  models ;  in  their  Epistles  we 
find  doctrine  and  practice,  duty  and  privilege,  always 
blended  together.  They  knew  that  everything  in  the 
Evangelical  scheme  was  not  equally  important ;  but 
they  regarded  nothing  as  useless.  They  took  great 
care  to  lay  the  foundation  firmly  and  broadly ;  but 
then  they  omitted'  nothing  in  the  superstructure  that 
was  needful  or  ornamental.  They  preached  only  a 
crucified  Saviour ;  but  warning  every  man  and  teach- 
ing every  man  in  all  wisdom,  that  they  might  present 
every  man  perfect  in  Jesus  Christ,  They  contended 
that  the  grace  of  God  alone  brings  salvation,  but  show- 
ed that  it  teaches  us  to  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly 
lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  the 
present  world. 

Yet  I  could  never  have  felt  at  liberty  to  preach  a 
series  of  sermons  on  a  number  of  evil  characters  such 
as  the  apostle  mentions  as  abounding  in  the  last  days : 
"Lovers  of  their  own  selves;    covetous;   boasters; 

8 


170  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

proud;  blasphemers;  disobedient  to  parents ;  unthank- 
ful ;  unholy  ;  without  natural  affection  ;  truce-break- 
ers ;  false  accusers  ;  incontinent ;  fierce  ;  despiscrs  of 
those  that  are  good;  traitors;  heady;  high-minded; 
lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  lovers  of  God ;  having  a 
form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the  power  thereof;" 
yet  I  knew  a  pastor  who  edified  his  people  for  nineteen 
Sabbaths  following,  with  a  separate  discourse  on  each 
of  these.  I  also  knew  another,  not  green  in  age,  who 
was  three  years  in  going  through  the  ten  command- 
ments. I  could  hardly  consider  myself  justified  in  preach- 
ing a  whole  sermon  before  a  multitude  of  perishing 
sinners  from  the  words  of  Solomon,  "He  that  hateth 
suretyship  is  sure."  Not  that  such  intimations  and 
cautions  are  to  be  overlooked ;  but  it  is  better  to  strike 
at  the  thing  with  a  remark  or  two  as  we  go  on.  It 
should  also  be  remembered  that  we  may  often  insinu- 
ate moral  hints  while  we  are  illustrating  some  Christian 
principle.  By  teaching  the  children  of  God  what  they 
ought  to  be,  I  teach  other  children  their  obligations ; 
and  by  holding  forth  the  character  of  God  as  a  Father, 
I  instruct  and  admonish  other  fathers  in  the  duties 
which  lie  upon  them. 

It  should,  however,  never  be  forgotten  that  "we  are 
the  servants  of  the  Most  High  God,  who  show  unto 
men  the  way  of  salvation ;"  that  the  Gospel  is  good 
news  for  perishing  sinners ;  and  that  this  is  to  be 
preached  to  every  creature;  and  "  there  are  some  doc- 
trines," says  Mr.  Venn,  "  that  should  not  only  be  al- 
ways implied  and  referred  to  in  our  sermons,  but 
should  be  distinctly  and  fully  treated,  several  times  in 
the  course  of  every  year." 

You  probablv  have  heard  more  than  myself  of  the 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM  JAY.  171 

complaints  which  have  been  made  of  jour  father  with 
regard  to  the  article  of  visiting. 

I  can  truly  say,  it  affords  me  no  satisfaction  to  find 
similar  complaints  very  prevalent  wherever  I  have 
gone.  Nor  do  I,  in  this  case,  wish  to  attempt  wJiolly 
to  justify  myself — far  from  it,  I  might  have  done 
••inore,  especially  in  some  cases,  than  I  have  done,  by 
more  decision,  arrangement,  and  diligence.  Who  can 
look  back  on  any  department  of  duty  and  usefulness, 
and  not  have  reason  to  exclaim,  "  If  thou,  Lord, 
shouldest  mark  iniquities,  O  Lord,  who  shall  stand  ?" 
Yet  I  would  remark  a  few  things,  by  way,  at  least,  of 
explanation,  rather  than  of  excuse. 

No  httle  of  this  censured  neglect  was  voluntary  with 
me,  and  therefore  it  did  not  aggrieve  my  mind.  I  saw 
that  much  of  what  was  commonly  expected  was  un- 
reasonable,  and  that  it  was  consequence  rather  than  im- 
provement that  was  affected  by  disappointment. 

I  saw  several  kinds  of  visitants  whom  I  did  not  see 
I  was  called  to  follow. 

First.  The  smokers,  furnished  with  a  pretty  pipe, 
and  its  usual  concomitant,  at  every  house  of  call ; 

Secondly.  The  listless  and  self-indulgent,  who  found 
that  diligent  study  was  much  less  inviting  than  loung- 
ing from  one  company  to  another,  and  hearing  the 
news  of  the  neighborhood  ; 

Thirdly.  The  truly  pious,  who  are  really  concerned 
to  do  good,  but  were  often  less  "useful  than  they  meant 
or  imagined.  Many  of  these  have  not  the  oily  slang 
of  religious  phrases  ;  they  are  not  apt  at  free  and  ap- 
propriate address,  or  turning  all  incidents  to  profitable 
account ;  yet  they  might  preach  to  advantage,  had 
they  time  and  leisure  for  reading  and  meditation. 


172  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

I  saw  also  that  tlicir  calls  were  not  al.vays  accc})t- 
able  or  convenient :  this  was  the  case  with  mechanics 
and  men  in  business,  and  still  more  so  with  females  in 
ordinary  life,  who  were  commonl}^  taken  up  with  their 
domestic  cares. 

I  saw  also  that  the  whole  congregation  must  be  vis- 
ited (in  which  case,  if  it  were  a  large  one,  the  whole^ 
of  a  preacher's  time  would  be  occupied,)  or  the  minis- 
ter would  be  deemed  a  respecter  of  persons,  giving  as 
much  pain  as  pleasure ;  flattering  the  pride  of  one, 
and  gendering  the  envy  of  another,  by  supposed  par- 
tiality. 

I  also  could  not  but  see  how  little  ])rofit  resulted 
from  more  set  visits,  of  longer  continuance,  and  includ- 
ing table  and  tea  entertainments.  In  these  meetings 
how  nearly  impossible  is  it  to  commence  or  maintain 
discourse  by  which  you  can  either  gain  or  do  good ! 

I  am  aware  that  there  must  be  interviews  and  inter- 
courses, when  they  are  of  no  particular  character  or 
utility ;  they  contribute  to  good  neighborhood  and  social 
pleasure ;  but  I  am  now  speaking  of  things  in  reference 
to  their  ecclesiastical  relation,  and  the  importance  of 
their  bearing  on  ministerial  duty  and  excellence. 

If  familiarity  does  not  breed  contempt,  it  reduces 
reverence  ;  and  too  much  intimacy  has  often  lowered 
the  impression  and  influence  of  many  a  minister  ;  for 
there  are  but  few  who  have  the  same  presence  and  ad- 
dress in  the  parlor  as  in  the  pulpit. 

I  have  no  opinion  of  a  pastor  that  is  not  very 
studious.  But  study  demands  leisure  and  retirement, 
and  "  through  desire,  a  man,  having  separated  him- 
self, sceketh  and  intermeddleth  with  all  wisdom." 
He  should  therefore,  as  much  as  possible,  avoid  pub- 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  173 

licity,  and  be  covetous  and  niggardly  of  every  fragment 
of  time.  A  man  who  has  some  degree  of  talent,  espec- 
ially an  easiness  and  fluency  of  speech,  may  do  for 
an  itinerant  or  an  occasional  preacher,  by  his  brisk  su- 
perficialities ;  but  let  him  become  stationary,  and  have 
to  preach  three  or  four  times  a  week  to  the  same  peo- 
ple, and  he  '11  soon  abound  with  sameness,  and  become 
sapless  and  unedifying ;  the  young  will  feel  little  at- 
traction ;  the  intelligent  will  be  tempted  to  withdraw  ; 
the  dull  will  become  drowsy  ;  and  the  ignorant  that 
remain  will  be  ignorant  still. 

People  for  their  own  sakes  should  do  all  they  can 
to  promote  a  habit  of  mental  application  in  their  min- 
isters, and  be  concerned  to  allow  them  every  oppor- 
tunity within  their  reach  for  exerting  it,  especially 
their  mornings  and  evenings.  Of  course,  if  they  love 
their  pastors,  they  will  feel  pleasure  in  their  company, 
nor  will  that  company  be  unreasonably  refused ;  but 
let  them,  as  much  as  possible,  choose  the  time  of  in- 
tercourse, and  not  accuse  them  of  indolence,  or  self- 
indulgence,  if  it  be  not  so  frequent  as  they  could  wish. 
Perhaps  at  the  very  moment  of  their  hearers'  com- 
plaint they  are  in  their  retirement  praying  for  them, 
or  studying  to  comfort  or  profit  them,  if  not  with  the 
sweat  of  the  brow,  Avith  the  sweat  of  the  brain ;  for 
"  much  study  is  a  weariness  of  the  flesh." 

I  therefore  never  felt  anything  like  self-reproach 
when  conscious  of  my  being  fully  employed ;  and  per- 
suaded that  I  was  better  subserving,  not  only  my  own 
welfare,  but  that  of  my  people  and  of  the  public,  in 
my  study,  than  in  gadding  about  without  an  aim  in 
idle  interviews  and  nursery  talk. 

I  mention  not  this,  therefore,  to  make  those  easy 


174  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

who  rise  not  before  seven  in  the  morning ;  hang  loose 
from  strenuous  improvement  all  the  day ;  are  drawn 
aside  by  every  trifling  excitement;  and  apply  thetimp 
they  affect  to  husband  from,  visiting  to  no  equal  pur- 
pose, or  no  purpose  at  all ;  but  for  the  sake  of  up- 
right and  conscientious  men,  who  are  anxious  to  make 
full  proof  of  their  ministr}',  but  grieve  because  they 
cannot  do  the  things  that  they  would. 

But  is  not  a  minister  a  pastor,  and  is  not  a  shepherd 
to  mind  and  manage  the  state  of  all  his  sheep  ?  He 
is ;  and  he  must  peculiarly  regard  cases  of  urgency 
and  distress  ;  he  is  to  bind  up  that  which  is  broken ; 
to  bring  back  that  which  has  wandered ;  but  he  can 
only  feed,  and  lead,  and  fold  the  flock  together  or  col- 
lectively. 

Cases  of  affliction  have  special  claims  on  pastoral  at- 
tention ;  and  in  these  consolation  and  spiritual  profit 
may  be  administered  by  a  word  in  season.  But  here 
ministers  have  sometimes  been  blamed  for  remissness, 
when  they  have  not  been  made  acquainted  with  the  dis- 
tress. The  rule  is,  "  Is  any  sick  among  you,  let  him 
call  for  the  elders  of  the  church;"  thus  at  once  inform- 
ing them  of  his  case,  and  expressing  his  desire  to  be 
visited. 

I  observe  also,  that  much  in  this  supposed  delin- 
quency was  with  me  unavoidable.  I  began  my  course 
under  many  early  disadvantages ;  for  I  began  young, 
and  nearly  from  the  beginning  was  thrown  into  situa- 
tions and  circumstances  Avhich  had  many  and  exciting 
demands  upon  me,  without  assistance.  Though  phys- 
ically incapable  of  enduring  so  much  confinement  and 
engagement  as  some  of  my  brethren,  I  had  four  ser- 
vices per  week  at  home,  besides  frequent  calls  abroad. 


THE   EEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  175 

Bath,  the  place  of  my  residence,  exposed  me  to 
iQanj  interruptions ;  and  my  own  people  little  knew 
how  much  I  was  necessarily  engagedin  visiting  strangers 
who  came  there  for  health,  and  were  away  from  their 
usual  pious  helps.  I  might  also  mention,  that  I  was 
early  unintentionally  led  to  become  an  author;  and 
God  giving  me  much  acceptance,  I  regarded  the  press 
as  well  as  the  pulpit,  the  one  indeed,  as  to  extensive- 
ness  and  continuance,  superior  to  the  other.  This  also 
required  time  and  attention,  and  much  more  than  jus- 
tice to  my  subject  demanded. 

As  congregations  grow  larger  and  more  respectable ; 
as  more  preparation  for  the  pulpit  is  needful  than  for- 
merly ;  as  institutions  have  so  much  multiplied,  and 
pastors  must  often  be  engaged  in  services  added  to 
their  home  routine  of  duty  ;  new  and  serious  difficul- 
ties arise  in  the  present  discharge  of  the  ministerial 
function.  How  are  they  to  be  met  ?  It  seems  now 
hardly  possible  to  combine  equally  in  the  same  man 
the  excellencies  of  the  pastor  and  the  eminence  of  the 
preacher.  I  have  seldom  seen  an  instance  of  both. 
Dr.  Mason,  of  New  York,  in  his  farewell  address  to 
his  church,  says,  "  If  you  would  have  us  not  only  to 
preach  Christ  publicly,  but  from  house  to  house,  you 
must  put  your  hands  into  your  pockets,  and  support 
a  dozen  more  pastors." 

If  pastors  and  pastoral  assistants  cannot  be  multi- 
plied, may  not  something  be  done  by  an  increase  of 
good  and  efficient  deacons  and  elders?  Could  not 
tiiey  relieve  their  ministers  from  some  of  their  exer- 
tions, and  allow  them  the  more  freedom  to  give  them- 
selves to  the  Word  of  God  and  prayer?  Is  there  no- 
thing they  can  do  but  serve  tables  ?     Could  not  fe- 


176  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

males  be  usefully  and  properly  employed?  Were 
they  not  in  the  first  churches  officially  engaged,  not 
indeed  iu  preaching,  this  was  expressly  forbidden — 
and  inspiration  is  only  common  sense  here, — but  in 
cases  that  did  not  compromise  the  duties  and  decencies 
of  their  peculiar  sphere  and  character?  Paul  says  to 
the  Philippians,  "  Help  those  women  that  labored 
with  me  in  the  gospel."  To  Timothy  he  speaks  of  a 
"wddow  well  reported  of  for  good  works,  if  she  have 
brought  up  children,  if  she  have  lodged  strangers,  if 
she  have  washed  the  saints'  feet,  if  she  have  relieved 
the  afflicted,  if  she  have  diligently  followed  every  good 
work."  "I  commend  unto  you,"  says  he  to  the  Ro- 
mans, "  Phoebe  our  sister,  who  is  a  servant  of  the 
church  which  is  at  Cenchrea.  For  she  has  been  a 
succorer  of  many,  and  myself  also.  Also  greet  Mary, 
who  bestowed  much  labor  on  us." 

I  flatter  not,  but  speak  the  words  of  truth  and  sober- 
ness when  I  say,  our  churches  and  ministers  suffer  no 
inconsiderable  loss  by  the  non-official  engagement  of 
the  sex,  whose  taste  and  talent,  piety  and  goodness 
and  zeal,  are  now  so  useful,  but  which  may  be  rendered 
much  more  so  than  they  are. 

One  thing  I  did  to  remedy,  in  a  degree,  my  defi- 
ciency in  visiting.  For  the  sake  more  expressly  of 
the  busy,  the  poor,  and  the  aged,  I  had  a  meeting  in 
the  vestry  on  the  Monday  evening,  in  which  I  always 
sat,  and,  for  near  an  hour,  spoke  in  a  more  free  and 
familiar  manner  than  it  became  me  to  use  in  my  pul- 
pit. I  considered  this  like  meeting  the  party  in  a  room 
for  conversation,  only  I  had  all  the  talk  to  myself. 
But  while  I  spoke  to  the  whole  company,  each  could 
hear  as  well  as  if  I  spoke  to  him  only  and  alone  ;  yet 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  177 

some  have  grudged  that  others  should  partake  of  the 

benefit ;  and  would  have  had  it  more  expressly  and 
distinctively  appropriated  to  them  alone.  What  evil 
often  veils  itself  under  religious  pretension  !  What  to 
some  is  usefulness,  compared  with  selfish  gratification ! 
"  Look  not  every  man  on  his  own  things,  but  every 
man  also  on  the  things  of  others.  Let  this  mind  be 
in  you  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus." 

I  am,  &;c. 
8* 


LETTER    XVII. 

F;.EASANT  KEVIEW    OF   IIIS   LUTE,    PRIVATE    AND    PUBLIC: — TRIALS, 

PLEASURES,    ETC.:  —  RELIGIOUS    DENOMIXATIONS  : COMPLACENT 

REVIEW    OF    DIVERSITIES  : NOT    INCOMPATIBLE    WITII    UNION  : — 

CHANGE    OF    RELIGIOUS    CONNECTIONS. 

My  dear  Children, — While  musing  with  my  pen 
in  my  hand,  and  liardly  knowing  what  to  write,  it 
struck  me  that  you  may  be  ready  to  ask,  how  my  HR^ 
appears  in  review  ? 

Life  is  commonly  said  to  appear  short,  and  to  some 
even  in  advanced  years  it  may  so  a2:)pear ;  but  they 
have  been  persons  whose  condition  has  been  distin- 
guished by  much  sameness,  whose  progress  has  seem- 
ed to  consist  of  one  journey,  whose  passage  has  been 
always  smooth,  and  who  have  not  many  things  to 
strike  and,  as  it  were,  detain  the  mind,  in  looking  back. 
But  life  to  others  in  retrospect  seems  to  be  like  a  suc- 
cession of  stages,  each  having  its  beginning  and  end- 
ing, and  a  variety  of  separate,  intermediate  residences ; 
Irom  one  of  which  to  another  the  memory  can  hardly 
pass  without  re-entering  and  enjoying  or  suffering  their 
scenes  and  events  again.  And  this  gives  the  notion 
of  length.  Now  in  my  case,  life  has  not  only  run 
tnrough  infancy,  and  childhood,  and  youth,  and  man- 
hood, and  in  a  great  measure  through  age  itself,  but 
lias  been  made  up  of  such  di\'erse  states,  and  has  been 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  REV.  WILLIAM  JAY.        179 

attended  with  so  many  new  (as  to  myself)  and  interest- 
ing occurrences,  that  I  cannot  go  over  it  quickly ;  and 
my  first  consciousness,  feelings,  and  actings  seem  a 
long  way  back. 

But  should  I  be  willing,  such  as  I  have  found  it,  to 
go  over  life  again  ?  I  have  heard  many  express  the 
sentiment,  though  not  in  the  poetry,  of  Cowper, — 

"  "Worlds  should  not  bribe  me  back  to  tread 
Again  life's  dreary  waste, 
To  see  the  future  overspread 
With  all  the  gloomy  past." 

But  such  lansiiaore  is  not  for  me.  I  should  not  shrink 
from  the  proposal  of  repetition,  — "  Goodness  and 
mercy  have  followed  me  all  the  days  of  my  life."  My 
duties  have  not  been  burdening  and  irksome.  My 
trials  have  been  few  compared  with  my  comforts.  My 
pleasures  have  been  cheap  and  simple,  and  therefore 
very  numerous.  I  have  enjoyed  unsatiatingiy  the 
seasons  and  the  sceneries  of  nature.  I  have  relished 
the  bounties  of  Providence,  using  them  with  modera- 
tion and  thankfulness.  I  have  delighted  in  the  means 
of  grace ;  unutterable  have  been  my  dehghts  in  study- 
ing and  perusing  the  Scripture.  How  have  I  verified 
the  words  of  Young — 

"  Retire  and  read  thy  Bible  to  be  gay !" 

Preaching  has  been  the  element  of  my  heart  and  my 
head.  My  labors  have  met  with  much  acceptance — 
nor  have  I  labored  in  vain.  I  have  seldom  been  with- 
out hearing  of  some  instances  of  usefulness  from  the 
pulpit  or  the  press.  Grod  has  honored  me  to  call  by 
m}^  labors  not  a  few  individuals,  even  into  the  minis- 
try.    The  seat  of  my  residence  was  of  all  others,  the 


180  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

place  of  my  preference.  My  condition  has  been  the 
happy  medium  of  neither  poverty  nor  riches.  I  had  a 
most  convenient  liabitation,  witli  a  large  and  lovely  gar- 
den— a  constant  source  of  attraction,  exercise  and  im- 
provement. I  had  a  sufficient  collection  of  books  of 
all  kinds.  My  wife  was  a  gentlewoman,  a  saint,  and  a 
domestic  goddess.  My  children  were  fair,  and  healthy, 
and  dutiful.  My  friends  were  many,  and  cordial,  and 
steady.     Where  shall  I  end  ? 

"  Call  not  earth  a  barren  spot, 
Pass  it  not  unheeded  by  ; 
'Tis  to  man  a  lovely  spot, 
Though  a  lovelier  awaits  on  high." 

1  do  not  believe  that  in  this  earth  misery  preponderates 
over  good.  I  have  a  better  opinion  of  mankind  than 
I  had  when  I  began  my  public  life.  I  cannot  tliere- 
fore  ask,  what  is  the  cause  that  the  former  days  were 
better  than  these  ?  I  do  not  believe  in  the  feet  itself 
God  has  not  been  throwing  away  duration  upon  the 
human  race.  The  state  of  the  world  has  been  improv- 
ed, and  is  improving.  Who  justifies  slavery  now? 
What  noble  efforts  have  been  made  to  break  every 
yoke,  and  -to  let  the  oj)pressed  go  free  !  How  is  the 
tendency  to  war,  on  every  slight  i)retence,  giving  way 
to  reference  and  negotiation  !  How  delightful  is  it  to 
think  of  what  is  doing  abroad  among  the  heathen ; 
and  the  exertions  that  are  put  forth  by  all  denomina- 
tions of  Christians  to  make  the  Saviour's  way  known 
upon  earth,  and  his  saving  health  among  all  nations ! 

We  also  rejoice  in  hope.  We  have  many  and  express 
assurances  in  the  Scriptures,  Avhicli  cannot  be  broken, 
of  the  general,  the  universal  spread  and  reign  of  Chris- 


THE   KEV.    WILLIAM  JAY.  181 

tianity,  which  are  not  yet  accomplished.  Nothing  has 
yet  taken  place  in  the  history  of  Divine  grace,  wide 
enough  in  extent,  durable  enougli  in  continuance, 
powerful  enough  in  energy,  blessed  enough  in  enjoy- 
ment, .magnificent  enough  in  glory,  to  do  anything 
like  justice  to  these  predictions  and  promises.  Better 
days,  therefore,  are  before  us,  notwithstanding  the  fore- 
bodings of  many.  "  Every  valley  shall  be  exalted,  and 
ever}^  mountain  and  hill  shall  be  made  low;  the  crook- 
ed shall  be  made  straight,  and  the  rough  places  plain, 
and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all 
flesh  shall  see  it  together,  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
hath  sjDoken  it." 

As  so  many  distinctions  and  divisions  prevail  in  the 
Christian  world,  you  may  require  from  me  a  few  words 
concerning  our  religious  denominations  and  parties. 

I  never  viewed  these  so  aversely  and  fearfully  as 
some  have  done.  Several  things  pertaining  to  them  I 
would  remark. 

First.  I  do  not  consider  them  as  incompatible  with 
Christian  unity.  God  promised  to  give  his  people  one 
heart  and  one  way ;  and  our  Saviour  prayed  that  all 
his  followers  may  be  one.  Can  we  suppose  the  prom- 
ise and  the  prayer  have  never  yet  been  accomplished  ? 
But  if  they  have  been  fulfilled,  we  may  reason  back 
from  that  fulfilment,  and  see  what  was  the  oneness  in- 
tended, and  perceive  that  it  was  not  a  oneness  of  opin- 
ion, or  a  ritual  oneness ;  but  a  oneness  of  principle, 
and  affection,  and  dependence,  and  pursuit,  and  co- 
operation. For  this  has  taken  place  among  the  real 
followers  of  the  Lamb,  and  among  them  only. 

Secondly.  They  are  not  inconsistent  with  the  support 
and  spread  of  the  Christian  cause ;  yea,  I  consider  them 


182  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

by  the  excitements  they  favor,  and  the  mutual  zeal 
they  kindle,  and  the  tempers  they  require  and  exer- 
cise, as  far  more  viseful  than  would  be  the  stagnancy 
of  cold  and  dull  uniformity,  the  idol  of  every  bigot, 
and  which  must  always  be  not  so  much  real  as  profess- 
ed, and  held  in  hypocrisy  where  there  are  numbers, 
and  where  persons  with  so  many  sources  of  diversity 
in  their  structure,  their  education,  and  opportunities, 
think  for  themselves, 

Tliirdly.  I  do  not,  therefore,  conclude  that  prophecy 
authorizes  us  to  look  for  their  entire  suppression,  but 
for  their  correction  and  improvement  only.  In  what 
is  called  "  the  latter-day  glory  '  they  will  indeed  see, 
eye  to  eye,  but  this  will  regard  the  clearer  and  closer 
perceptions  of  the  great  objects  of  vision,  and  not  the 
minuter  appendages ;  and  they  will  perfectly  accord, 
and  see  eye  to  eye  in  one  sentiment,  viz.,  "  Let  e very- 
one  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind."  Judah  and 
Ephraim  shall  remain,  so  to  speak,  distinct  tribes ;  but 
"  Ephraim  shall  not  envy  Judah,  and  Judah  shall  not 
vex  Ephraim." 

The  creatures  figuratively  mentioned  by  the  prophet 
Isaiah  will  not  be  transformed  into  each  other,  but 
"  the  wolf  also  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb ;  and  the 
leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid  ;  and  the  calf  and 
the  young  lion  and  the  fatling  together ;  and  a  little 
child  shall  lead  them.  And  the  cow  and  the  bear 
shall  feBd  ;  their  young  ones  shall  lie  down  together  ; 
and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox  ;  and  the  suck- 
ing child  shall  play  upon  the  hole  of  the  asp  ;  and  the 
weaned  child  shall  put  his  hand  on  the  cockatrice  den. 
They  shall  n3t  hurt  or  destroy  in  all  my  holy  moun- 


THE   EEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  183 

tain.     For  the  earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  Lord  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea." 

Fourthly.  We  may  view  denominations  as  we  do 
individual  Christians.  None  of  them  are  absolutely 
perfect ;  and  none  of  them  are  entirely  defective. 
Neither  is  possessed,  and  neither  is  destitute,  of  every 
truth  and  every  excellency.  All  the  members  of  the 
body  have  not  the  same  quality,  or  the  same  office, 
yet  thej'  are  alike  parts ;  and  though  they  may  be 
compared,  they  are  not  to  be  opposed ;  and  though 
one  may  be  more  admired,  another  is  not  to  be  depre- 
ciated. One  denomination  may  excel  in  diligence  and 
zeal ;  another  in  discipline  and  simplicity  of  worship  ; 
another  in  contention  for  purity  of  doctrine ;  another 
for  intelligence  and  liberality  ;  and  thus  they  not  only 
stand  in  the  same  relation  to  Christ,  but  are  members 
one  of  another  ; — checking  each  other's  extremes,  and 
supplying  each  other's  defects,  and  sharing  each  other's 
advantages ;  and  so  by  mutuahty  to  produce  a  com- 
parative perfection  in  the  whole. 

Fifthly.  In  consequence  of  this,  I  could  never  re- 
gard the  differences  of  the  truly  godly  as  essential ;  and 
though  I  have  had  my  convictions  and  preferences, 
they  were  never  anathematizing  or  exclusive.  And  I 
could  have  communed  with  any  of  their  churches,  and 
should  not  have  been  sorry  if  circumstances  had  en- 
abled me  to  say  I  had  done  so. 

I  know  religious  parties  are  too  free  in  censuring 
other  bodies  as  less  liberal  than  themselves ;  but  in 
this  respect  I  have  not  seen  (and  my  opportunities 
have  been  favorable  for  observation  and  comparison) 
much  difference  between  them.  There  are  bigots  in 
them  all,  both  as  churches,  members,  and  teachers ; 


184.  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

and  there  are  men  of  real  candor,  and  who  can  say 
from  the  heart,  "  Whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  my 
Father,  who  is  in  heaven,  the  same  is  my  brother  and 
sister  and  mother."  And  if  one  party  were  by  consti- 
tution or  accident  more  rigid  and  narrow  than  an- 
other, the  more  commendation  is  due  to  the  noble 
minds  among  them  that  rise  above  their  fellows  and 
their  trammels ;  and  let  us  never  try  or  wish  to  detach 
them  from  their  o^vn  communities,  but  rejoice  in  the 
influence  they  may  exert  in  bettering  and  liberalizing 
them. 

In  accordance  with  these  views  and  reflections,  I 
have  commonly  lamented  when  persons  holding  the 
Head,  and  differing  only  in  minor  matters,  pass  from 
their  own  fellowship  into  another,  especially  in  coun- 
try towns  and  villages.     It  often  excites  suspicions  that 
unfair  means  have  been  used  to  proselyte  the  indi- 
vidual ;  and  grudgings  are  felt  by  the  losers,  to  wliom 
one  member  was  perhaps  of  considerable  importance. 
I  have  known  ministers  and  members  becoming,  by 
such  changes,  shy  of  each  other ;  while  the  individual 
who  has  changed  his  communion  has  been  more  no- 
ticed by  his  new  party  for  a  particular  tenet  than  for 
his  general  excellence  ;  and  been  in  danger  of  attaching 
too  much  importance  to  it  himself.     I  have  often  ob- 
served the   zeal   of   proselytes   subsiding  into   little 
things;  and  I  never  remember  to  have  seen  an  indi- 
vidual improved  in  religious  character  and  excellence 
by  passing  from  one  Christian  church  to  another,  un- 
less it  was  called  for  by  something  more  than  a  non- 
essential difference.     If  our  present  connection  requires 
of  us  anything  we  deem  sinful,  our  duty  is  clear,  and 
we  must  follow  our  convictions  regardless  of  conse- 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  185 

quences  ;  but  I  am  taking  the  matter  on  lower  ground, 
that  is,  where  there  may  be  imperfections  with  which 
we  may  bear,  aud  which  we  may  endeavor  to  correct, 
rather  than  withdraw.  And  surely  some  regard  is 
due  to  the  providence  of  God  which  orders  our  situa- 
tions, and  to  the  solemn  act  by  which  we  gave  our- 
selves to  the  Church,  in  which  we  have  taken  sweet 
counsel  together,  and  our  "  fellowship  has  been  with 
the  Father,  and  with  1  is  Son  Jesus  Christ." 

I  am,  &c. 


LETTER    XVIII. 

itis  OWN  onuRCH  : — advantages  and  disadvantages  : — ms  Cal- 
vinism:— ^difficulties: — adheuence  to  the  bible: — iiis  rules 
IN  studying  it  : — what  to  avoid  and  what  to  seek. 

My  dear  Children, — Continuing  the  subject  of 
my  last,  a  question  may  be  now  asked  concerning  the 
ecclesiastical  community  to  which  I  belong.  If  a  man 
be  not  a  party  man,  he  can  hardly  avoid  being  of  a 
party ;  neither  is  it  safe  or  useful  (though  he  niay  oc- 
casionally do  some  execution)  for  a  soldier  to  be  iso- 
lated and  rove  about  alone,  impatient,  perha^^s,  of  au- 
thority and  direction,  rather  than  acting  with  some 
regiment  or  company.  I  was  always  a  friend  to  order 
and  regularity — ^not  tyrannical  order  or  enslaving  regu- 
larity— ^but  that  which  will  oppose  the  whims  and  va- 
garies of  self-willed  and  self-conceited  individuality ; 
so  that  zeal  may  not  rush  and  sjDrcad  like  flood-water, 
but  be  a  river  guided  and  restrained,  but  flowing  be- 
tween its  banks. 

I  do  not  think,  as  I  have  expressed  myself  in  one 
of  my  lectures,  any  very  particular  form  of  govern- 
ment is  absolutely  laid  down  in  the  New  Testament. 
I  am  not  ignorant  that  this  will  surprise  and  oft'cnd 
several  classes  of  advocates,  all  of  whom  appeal  to  the 
Scriptures,  and  all  of  w  hom  find  their  peculiar  and  op* 


THE  REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  187 

posite  systems  laid  down  tliere  clearly  and  definitively 
— i.  e.  to  themselves.  Yet  they  are  not  wanting  in  the 
New  Testament  general  principles  of  church  govern- 
ment, which  will  admit,  without  subverting  them,  of 
considerable  modifyings  in  their  application,  according 
to  times,  places,  and  cu'cumstances.  All  our  present 
religious  communities,  perhaps,  really  deviate  in  some 
degree  from  these  model  maxims;  though  some  di- 
verge more  than  others.  I  could  never  be  reconciled 
to  Prelacy,  but  I  have  thought  differently  of  Episco- 
pacy, where  the  bishop,  as  Usher  says,  is  only  a  'primus 
inter  pares ^  and  is  chosen  by  his  brethren,  for  his  age, 
talents,  and  piety  ;  having  no  secular  function,  or  being 
empowered  to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage.  This  is  now 
pleaded  for  by  many  churchmen  themselves,  and  is 
much  defended  in  the  United  States,  where  the  con- 
nection between  Church  and  State  is  as  much  censured 
by  Episcopalians  as  by  Congregation alists.  Perhaps, 
had  I  been  led  to  choose,  instead  of  being  led  by  cir- 
cumstances, I  should  have  preferred  Presbyterianism, 
as  to  church  order  and  regimen.  But  the  truth  is, 
I  never  deeply  studied  the  theories  of  ecclesiastical 
government.  I  had  neither  inclination  nor  leisure ; 
and  other  things  of  greater  moment  always  seemed  to 
press  upon  my  immediate  attention.  Nor  was  my 
mind  upon  this  subject  made  up  so  entirely  and  ex- 
clusively and  stiffly,  as  that  I  could  only  have  moved 
in  one  direction.  By  the  providence  of  Grod,  I  was 
trained  among  the  Independents,  and  with  them  I  re- 
mained. I  agreed  not  in  every  iota  of  their  system, 
but  I  approved  of  it  in  the  main  ;  and  felt  nothing  in 
it  that  violated  my  conscience,  or  abridged  my  liberty. 
I  found  also  in  it  many  advantages  and  efficiencies. 


188  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

It  allowed  the  people  the  privilege  of  choice,  and  the 
minister  a  sufficiency  of  authority.  It  secured  church 
purity,  and  maintained  due  discipline.  It  promoted 
Christian  communion  and  edification.  It  befriended, 
urged,  and  employed  means  and  exertions  for  the  con- 
version of  sinners;  and  presented  a  ready  and  unfet- 
tered medium  for  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's 
cause,  abroad  and  at  home.  But  could  it  not  be  re- 
lieved of  a  little  of  its  democracy,  and  of  its  great  de- 
pendence on  individual  suffrage?  or  would  a  change 
here,  in  its  working  (it  is  possible),  introduce  an  agency 
more  exceptionable  and  liable  to  abuse  ?  Could  there 
not  be  established  some  power  of  appeal,  so  that  its 
ministers,  in  cases  of  accusation  or  complaint,  should 
be  heard  and  judged  by  their  peers,  and  not  be  left  to 
interested,  prejudiced,  and  ignorant  arbiters?  Could 
nothing  be  done  to  render  a  number  of  churches  of 
the  same  faith  and  order,  within  such  a  distance,  con- 
stituent pai-ts  of  a  whole^  with  some  delegated  power 
for  this  purpose,  without  invading  their  independence  ? 
Cannot  the  table  of  the  Lord  be  preserved  from  prof- 
anation unless  a  lion  be  placed  at  the  door  of  entrance? 
and  conditions  be  exacted  of  candidates,  which  will 
drive  back  many  who  ought  to  be  encouraged  ;  but 
which  are  unlikely  to  check  few,  if  any,  of  those  who 
ought  to  be  restrained  ? 

This  feature  of  the  old  discipline  I  softened  in  my 
own  case ;  and  I  believe  many  of  my  brethren  have 
had  influence  to  do  the  same,  while  others  lament  the 
continued  and  unconditional  requisition  of  oral  or 
written  experiences,  delivered  before  the  church.  But 
bodies  of  men  ai'e  not  easily  moved  ;  and  the  mistakes 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM    TAY  {89 

of  pious  men,  being  conscientious,  are  with  difficulty 
rectified.* 

Mj  doctrinal  views,  both  as  to  their  truth  and  im- 
portance, have  undergone  very  little  variation  from 
the  beginning,  though  of  course,  on  the  subjects  they 
contain,  I  have  read  and  thought  much.  I  have  felt 
indeed  less  disposed  to  inculcate  them  "  in  the  words 
which  man's  wisdom  teaches,"  or  in  dry  and  straitened 
systematic  arrangement.  Divinity  cannot  be  taught 
at  the  college  without  system — but  in  preaching,  it  is 
better  that  many  things  should  be  assumed  than  tech- 
nically discussed.  It  is  better  for  the  preacher  to  give 
way  to  his  holy  and  fervent  feelings,  than  to  be  chilled 
and  checked  by  the  apprehension  of  some  supposed 
inconsistency.  It  is  better  to  let  the  text  speak  its 
own  language,  naturally  and  glowingly,  than  to  use 

*  "We  must  request  the  reader  to  pause  at  this  statement  while 
we  offer  a  brief  comment.  Our  venerated  friend  seems  to  take  credit 
to  himself  in  the  above  sentences  for  a  commendable  innovation  upon 
an  ancient  and  common  practice.  But  the  practice  was  certainly 
never  so  strict  nor  so  common  as  he  intimates  ;  nor  was  he  the  only 
one,  nor  the  first,  that  had  broken  through  it  at  the  period  when 
he  wrote.  Moreover,  we  are  rather  inclined  to  think  it  crept  into 
the  Independent  churches  from  the  Methodists,  who  dwelt  much 
more  upon  the  consciousness  and  palpable  evidences  of  conversion 
than  the  Independents  had  been  accustomed  to  do.  Some  of  Mr. 
Jay's  first  connections  were  Calvinistic  Methodists,  and  from  them 
probably  he  received  the  impression  of  the  prevalence  of  the  custom 
which  he  here  condemns.  The  enforcement  of  such  a  rule  of  ad- 
mission was,  at  any  time,  far  from  general  or  rigid.  It  may  possibly 
have  prevailed  more  among  Baptist  churches  than  among  Independ- 
ents. But  it  certainly  went  into  general  disuse  about  the  time 
.when  Mr.  Jay  renounced  it.  There  is,  we  conceive,  not  a  single 
case  in  which  it  is  now  enforced ;  so  that,  if  it  ever  was,  it  certainly 
is  no  longer,  the  "lion"  Mr.  Jay  represents  it,  guarding  the  door 
of  access  to  the  Table  of  the  Lord. 


190  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

coercive  measures,  and  torture  out  the    tneaning,  or 
bombard  it  into  submission. 

There  is  a  luaf^nificencc  and  a  vastness  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, which  no  human  attempts  can  comprehend,  or 
limit,  or  define  ;  and  it  will  be  our  highest  wisdom,  at 
present,  to  endeavor  to  understand  and  improve  the 
interesting ^arte  of  a  whole^  which  all  our  creed-mongers 
have  found  and  will  find  too  wonderful  for  them. 

In  my  considerable  acquaintance  with  the  religious 
world,  some  of  the  most  exemplary  individuals  I  have 
met  with  have  been  Calvinists.  Of  this  persuasion 
were  the  two  most  extraordinary  Christian  charactera 
I  ever  knew — John  Newton,  and  Cornelius  Winter. 
They  held  its  leading  sentiments  with  firmness ;  but 
their  Calvinism,  like  that  of  Bun3^an,  was  rendered, 
by  their  temper,  milder  than  that  of  some  of  their 
brethren;  and  they  were  candid  towards  those  who 
differed  from  them  ;  and  esteemed  and  loved  them  as 
I'ellow  heirs  together  of  the  grace  of  life. 

With  this  scheme  of  divinity  my  principles  accorded 
generally  more  than  witli  any  other;  but  certain  parts 
of  it  I  could  never  admit.  If  it  be  said  the  inclusive 
and  the  exclusive  parts  are  inseparable  ;  and  that  we 
caimot  hold  the  one  without  the  other,  I  hesitate. 
AVe  know  not  enough  to  determine,  in  hardly  any 
case,  what  is  impossible.  A  difficulty,  apparently  in- 
explicable, may  not  be  a  contradiction,  but  be  solved 
by  an  extended  view  of  the  subject.  Things  which 
appear  quite  inconsistent  to  'he  apprehension  of  a 
child^  and  which,  for  want  of  capacity,  it  cannot  har- 
m(mize  at  present,  jar  not  in  the  mind  of  a  man.  But 
what  a  difference  must  there  be  between  the  percep- 
tions of  a  finite  and  an  infinite  understanduig  I  and  in 


THE  RET    WILLIAM  JAY.  191 

the  scriptures  we  have  '•  the  deep  things  oi  God"  as 
well  as  the  plain. 

Two  grand  truths  have  always  seemed  to  me  to 
pervade  the  whole  Bible,  and  not  to  be  confined  to  a 
few  particular  phrases,  viz.,  that  if  we  are  saved,  it  is 
entirely  of  God's  grace ;  and  if  we  are  lost,  it  will  be 
entirely  from  ourselves.  I  know  full  well  a  man  may 
easily  force  me  into  a  corner  with  things  seemingly  or 
really  related  to  the  truth  of  either  of  these  affirma- 
tions ;  but  he  will  not  shake  my  confidence  in  either, 
while  I  can  read,  "O  Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thy- 
self; but  in  me  is  thy  help."  The  connection  is  like  a 
chain  across  the  river  ;  I  can  see  the  two  ends,  but  not 
the  middle ;  not  because  there  is  no  real  union,  but 
because  it  is  under  water.  Lower  the  water,  or  raise 
the  links,  and  I  shall  see  the  centre  as  well  as  the  ex- 
tremes. 

Paley  observes  that  we  should  never  suffer  what  we 
know  to  be  disturbed  by  what  we  know  not.  And 
Butler  remarks  nearly  the  same,  when  he  says,  "  If  a 
truth  be  established,  objections  are  nothing.  The  one 
is  founded  on  our  knowledge^  and  the  other  in  our  ig- 
norance. 

You  may  here  remember  what  you  have  so  often 
seen,  and  which  I  early  prefixed  to  my  Study  Bible. 

In  reading  this  Book  let  me  guard  against  four 
things — 

1.  The  contractedness  of  the  Systematic. 

2.  The  mysticism  of  the  Allegorizer. 

3.  The  dogmatism  of  the  Bigot. 

4.  The  presumption  of  the  Rationalist. 

Let  me  tremble  at  God's  Word,  and  let  me  in  read  • 
iDg  it  keep  three  purposes  in  view  : 


192        AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  THE  REV.  WILLIAM  JAY. 

1.  To  collect  facts  rather  than  form  opinions. 

2.  To  regulate  practice  rather  than  encourage  specu- 
lation. 

3.  To  aid  devotion  rather  than  dispute. 

I  am,  &c. 


LETTER    XIX. 

HIS  EEVIEW  OF  THE  STATE  OF  RELIGION  IX  HIS  YOUTH  CONTRASTED 
WITH  ITS  ADVANCED  STATE  WHEN  HE  WKOTE  : — THE  ESTABLISH- 
MENT : — THE  DISSENTEES: THE  INSTITUTIONS,  ETC.,  ETC. 

My  dear  Children, — You  have  expressed  a  wish 
to  have  mj  opinion  comparatively  of  the  state  of  things 
when  I  commenced  my  pubHc  labors,  and  now  I  am 
withdrawing  from  them. 

I  am  fully  persuaded  that,  by  the  good  providence 
of  God,  we  have  experienced  a  thousand  beneficial 
changes.  Our  Code  of  Judicial  Law  has  been  revised, 
and  many  of  its  sanguinary  penalties  repealed.  Our 
Civil  Legislation,  and  our  political  arrangements,  have 
been  much  improved.  Various  wrongs  have  been  rec- 
tified, and  rights  have  been  equalized.  Freedom  has 
largely  gained.  Trade  and  Commerce  have  exceed- 
ingly multiplied  ;  while  the  amazing  advancement  in 
Science  and  Arts  has  added  much,  not  only  to  our 
fame,  but  also  to  our  accommodation  and  comfort — 
philosophy  has  rendered  every  element  subservient  to 
our  use. 

It  is  needless  to  attempt  to  enumerate  or  specify 
these  advantages.  My  way  lies  in  another  direction  ; 
and  I  would  only  glance  briefly  at  the  bearing  of 
things  viewed  morally^  religio'osly^  and  evangelically , 

9 


194  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

and  I  cannot  look  at  various  progressions  without  ex- 
claiming, "  What  has  God  wrought !"  And  here  I 
must  censure  some  good  persons  whose  forebodings  and 
complainings  with  regard  to  the  times  appear  unjust, 
improper,  and  ungrateful.  When  we  consider  that 
our  "  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness;"  and  that  as  a 
country,  we  have  been  "  a  sinful  people,  a  seed  of  evil 
doers,  children  that  are  corrupters ;"  the  wonder  is  that 
He  has  not  long  ago  abandoned  us ;  and  surely  we 
ought  to  notice  thankfully  every  token  for  good  with 
which  we  are  favored.  Is  it  meet  to  be  silent  towards 
a  benefactor  on  whom  we  have  no  claims  'i  or  to  say 
by  our  manner,  Is  this  all  that  thou  hast  done  for  us  ? 
Surely  the  way  to  obtain  more  of  his  gracious  influ- 
ence and  operation,  is  to  praise  him  for  the  favor  he 
has  already  done  us  ;  and  thus  ask  for  more.  We  are 
therefore  directed  "  in  everything  by  prayer  and  sup- 
plication, with  thanksgiving^  to  make  our  requests  known 
unto  God."  How  oifensive  and  grievous  then  must  it 
be  to  his  Holy  Spirit  to  deny,  or  speak  meanly  or  light- 
ly of,  his  goodness,  when  he  has  done  such  great  things 
for  us,  whereof  we  should  be  glad  ! 

Though  the  day  far  exceeds  the  dawn,  the  dawn  wiU 
not  be  unnoticed  or  undervalued  by  those  who  have 
seen  and  felt  the  darkness  of  the  night.  Some  are  not 
old  enough  to  look  back  upon  the  past,  and  form  com- 
parisons which  must  prove  no  less  than  contrasts  with 
the  present.  Though  not  a  prodig}^  of  age,  I  have  had 
an  opportunity  to  see  some  blessed  fulfilments  of  the 
promise,  "  The  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  shall 
be  made  glad ;  and  the  desert  shall  rejoice  and  blossom 
as  the  rose.  Instead  of  the  thorn  shall  come  up  the 
fir-tree ;  and  instead  of  the  briar  shall  come  up  the 


.    THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  195 

myrtle-tree ;  and  it  shall  be  to  the  Lord  for  a  name, 
for  an  everlasting  sign  that  shall  not  be  cut  off." 

And  can  we  believe  this,  and  see  this,  and  be  un- 
gladdened  and  ungrateful  ?  or  shall  we  suffer  a  few 
private  or  public  burdens  and  trials  to  keep  us  repin- 
ing and  murmuring,  when  in  Judah  things  go  well, 
and  the  walls  of  the  temple  rise,  though  in  troublous 
times?  The  evils  of  which  some  men  seem  almost 
only  sensible,  are  the  more  easily  seen,  and  the  more 
deeply  felt,  because  of  the  presence  and  prevalence  of 
so  much  good.     And  what  good ! 

When  I  first  went  to  London  there  was  no  Mission- 
ary Societies  but  those  of  our  Moravian  and  Wesleyan 
brethren ;  but  now  we  have  the  Baptist,  the  London, 
the  Episcopalian,  Missionary  Institutions ;  all  sending 
forth  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus ;  and  all  depending  for 
success  upon  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God,  (and  there- 
fore all  carrying  on  their  operations  with  prayer,)  and 
all  crowned  with  encouragement  and  success,  propor- 
tioned to  their  means  and  endeavors. 

Then,  too,  we  had  not  the  noblest  of  all  institutions 
since  the  apostolic  era,  the  Bible  Society ;  nor  the  Tract 
Society ;  nor  the  Jewish  Society ;  nor  the  Hibernian 
Society ;  nor  the  Irish  Evangelical  Society ;  nor  the 
Home  Missionary  Society  ;  all  of  which  have  for  years 
been  in  full  operation. 

Here  we  have  not  mentioned  the  Anti-Slavery  So- 
ciety and  the  Peace  Society ;  but  though  these  are  not 
formally  and  immediately  religious  institutions,  they 
indirectly  aid  them ;  they  are  congenial  with  them, 
and  are  sanctioned  by  all  their  provisions  and  com- 
)nands ;  yea,  they  have  been  derived  from  their  spirit. 

We  also  pass  ?ver  the  numerous  local  and  private 


IW  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

Societies  attached  to  our  several  congregations ;  and 
what  congregation  is  there  among  us  without  some  of 
them  ?  Most  of  which,  besides  a  charitable  aim,  have 
also  a  religious  ;  for  instance,  societies  for  visiting  the 
sick,  not  only  affording  temporal  succor,  but  furnish- 
ing also  spiritual  instruction  and  prayer,  when  the 
mind  is  prepared  by  affliction  to  receive  it,  or  peculiar- 
ly needing  it.  Sunday  Schools  also  not  only  teach 
poor  children  to  read  their  Bible,  but  inform  their 
minds  in  the  leading  truths  of  the  Gospel ;  and  I  have 
never  met  with  a  religious  interest  without  a  Sunday 
School,  while  many  of  these  schools  now  are  formed 
in  the  villages,  where,  at  present,  there  is  no  religious 
interest ;  and  which  are  attended  to  by  persons  who 
go  from  our  churches  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  conse- 
crate a  good  portion  of  the  Sabbath  to  this  work  and 
labor  of  love  ;  and  find  the  reward  of  their  journey- 
ings  and  toil  in  the  pleasure  of  doing  good. 

Think  of  the  spread  of  the  Gospel  in  the  Establish- 
ment, and  compare  Mr.  Eomaine's  total  of  fifty  Gospel 
clergymen  with  the  number  in  the  same  church  now  I 
Think  what  an  amazing  multiplication  of  Dissenters 
there  has  also  been  !  And  if  there  has  not  been  such 
an  increase  in  their  liglit  as  in  that  of  some  other  con- 
nections, (and  which  was  less  needed,)  there  has  been 
a  glorious  one  in  their  hberty,  liberality,  and  life,  and 
usefulness !  What  a  diminution  have  I  known  of 
heterodox  congregations ;  and  what  additions  to  those 
who  know  nothing  save  Jesus  Christ  and  him  cruci- 
fied !  The  number  of  new  places,  at  the  opening  of 
which  I  have  preached,  and  the  number  of  enlarged 
places,  at  the  re-opening  of  which  I  have  preached, 
would  appear  hard  of  belief.     Yet  other  of  my  breth- 


THE  EEV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  197 

ren  have  been  employed  in  the  same  work,  m  their  re- 
spective neighborhoods  and  connections,  all  through 
the  land.  Several  new  schools  also,  or  to  modernize, 
"colleges,"  for  the  sons  of  the  prophets,  have  been  es- 
tablished ;  and  ampler  provision  made  for  those  com- 
pleter preparations  for  the  ministry  which  the  day  de- 
mands. 

And  what  a  change  has  there  been  in  public  spirit- 
edness  and  generous  contributions !  How  would  some 
of  the  good  men,  who  lived  eighty  or  ninety  years  ago- 
have  been  astonished,  could  they  have  been  told  oi 
the  sums  obtained  at  one  anniversary  meeting  ;  or 
what  is  now  raised  by  a  single  congregation  annually  ! 
Where  one  collection  was  formerly  made  at  the  doors 
of  the  sanctuary,  twenty  are  now  made.  The  same 
proportion  would  hold  in  the  number  of  applications 
made  j)ersonally  to  individuals,  and  seldom  made  en- 
tirely in  vain. 

Love  also  has  abounded  more  and  more  in  knowl- 
edge and  in  all  judgment.  How  much  less  stress  is 
laid  on  minor  and  circumstantial  things  in  religion 
than  once !  And  how  much  more  disposed  are  the 
various  parties  to  unite  and  hold  intercourse  with  each 
other !  I  remember  how  it  was  wondered  at,  when 
Mr.  Eyre  of  Homerton,  of  Calvinistical  sentiments,  was 
asked  to  preach  at  Mr.  Wesley's  chapel,  in  Moorfields, 
and  preached  without  giving  offence,  from  Gal.  i.  8, — 
"If  we  or  an  angel  firom  heaven  preach  any  other 
Gospel  unto  you,  than  that  which  we  have  preached 
unto  you,  let  him  be  accursed  !"  Now,  without  abol- 
ishing our  distinctions,  we  have  learned  to  hail,  and 
bless,  and  help  each  other.  We  have  agreement  with- 
out compromise.     Our  regiments  retain  their  own  col  - 


198  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

ors  and  officers,  but  fight  against  a  common  Joe,  and 
for  the  same  King  of  Ghiry. 

I  am  aware  that  some  will  say,  "  all  is  not  -(jJd  that 
glitters,"  and  there  is  much  more  hearing,  and  talking, 
and  show,  and  profession.  In  a  degree,  this  is  as  true 
as  it  is  lamentable.  There  have  been  also  abuses  and 
excesses.  These  will  always  grow  out  of  awakenings, 
while  human  nature  remains  as  it  is.  But  that  there 
has  been  a  remarkable  revival  and  extension  of  genu- 
ine religion,  since  the  rise  of  what  is  called  Methodism, 
notwithstanding  the  imperfections  attending  it,  what 
can  induce  us  to  deny  ?  The  dead  have  been  enliv- 
ened ;  the  sleeping  have  been  aroused ;  the  form  of 
godliness  has  not  been  without  the  power,  though  in 
some  instances  the  power  has  had  too  little  of  the 
form.  Faith  has  not  been  a  cold  assent  of  the  under- 
standing to  certain  dogmas,  but  a  vital  principle  in  the 
heart  and  life.  The  professors  of  it  have  denied  them- 
selves, and  taken  up  their  cross,  and  followed  the  Ee- 
deemer  in  the  regeneration.  AVe  plead  not  for  ])erfec- 
tion ;  but  this  renovated  religion  has  been  essentially 
and  eminently  of  the  right  kind — evangelical  in  doc- 
trine, practical  in  operation,  lively  in  experience,  and 
noble  in  effects. 

But  there  are  persons  who,  though  they  allow  of 
some  reality  in  this  statement,  yet  think  that  modern 
Christians  are  much  inferior  to  those  who  lived  in  the 
times  of  our  forefatliers.  Instead  of  speaking  dispar- 
agingly of  these  men,  we  would  have  inscribed  on 
their  tombs,  "  Of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy  ! " 
They  were  martyrs  of  conscience ;  the  word  of  God 
dwelt  in  them  richly ;  they  had  much  to  do  with  their 
own  hearts  ;  and  were  distinguished  by  their  domestic 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  199 

and  private  devotions.  But  they  Avould  not,  and  could 
not,  have  abounded  so  much  in  some  even  of  their 
own  excellences  had  thej  lived  in  a  later  day.  The 
stream,  then  rendered  deeper  by  coufinement,  has  since 
widened ;  and  the  water  flows  over  more  surface.  They 
had  not  so  many  openings  and  calls  for  action  abroad ; 
and  tlieir  spirit  jDartook  something  of  their  state.  The 
churches  then  seemed  to  feel  little  or  nothing  of  the 
missionary  character ;  and  to  some  it  may  seem  sur- 
prising how  little  is  found  in  the  letters,  diaries,  and 
sermons  of  that  period  but  what  almost  exclusively 
regards  the  defeats  or  prosperity  of  their  own  souls, 
or  immediate  communities.  And  how  little  even  they 
who  made  mention  of  the  Lord  obeyed  the  injunction, 
"  keep  not  silence,  and  give  him  no  rest  till  he  estab- 
lish, and  till  he  make  Jerusalem  a  praise  in  the  whole 
earth."  The  time,  the  set  time  to  favor  her  was  not 
yet  come.  Zion  was  not  in  labor  to  bring  forth.  She 
had  hardly  conceived.     But  now — 

"  All  the  promises  do  travail 
With  a  glorious  day  of  grace." 

And  to  drop  metaphor.  Of  late  years,  persons  are  not 
allowed  to  look  only  on  their  own  things,  but  con- 
strained also  to  look  on  the  things  of  others  ;  and  es- 
pecially the  things  that  are  Jesus  Christ's.  And  they 
are  to  be  judged  of  by  the  manner  in  which  they  do 
the  work  of  their  own  day,  and  not  by  their  conform 
ity  to  others  who  lived  under  a  different  order  of 
things. 

But  were  not  Christians  who  lived  at  the  commence- 
ment of  this  new  and  evangelical  era  superior  in  ex- 
perience to  those  who  have  followed  them  ?     I  am  not 


200  AUTOBIOGRAPUY   OF 

entirely  unprepared  to  answer  this  question.  A  num- 
ber of  tlic  original  converts  of  Wesley  and  Whitfield 
were  yet  living  when  I  began  to  appear  in  public,  and 
some  of  them  I  knew  intimately  ;  and  they  made  too 
deep  an  impression  upon  me  to  be  forgotten.  They 
were  certainly  better  acquainted  with,  and  more  en- 
deared to  each  other,  than  the  larger  proportion  of 
professors  now  are  ;  but  two  reasons  may  be  assigned 
for  this,  without  making  the  dead  to  depreciate  the 
living. 

It  was  first,  in  some  degree,  owing  to  the  persecution 
and  reproach  of  the  whole  world  which  drew  them 
together  for  intercourse  and  comfort.  It  also,  secondly, 
arose  from  the  paucity  of  their  numbers.  When  re- 
ligious parties  are  smaller,  they  partake  more  of  a 
family  character;  and  the  members  know,  and  are 
known,  of  each  other.  But  this  cannot  be  equally  the 
case  in  large  societies,  and  where  multitude  prevents 
intimacy.  But  then  these  larger  societies  have  other 
advantages.  They  are  more  public,  more  known; 
they  are  more  firm,  independent,  and  active  ;  they  at- 
tract more  attendants,  are  capable  of  more  enterprise, 
and  can  raise  more  for  the  cause  of  God  at  large,  in 
the  support  of  charities,  schools,  missionaries,  and  evan- 
gelists. It  is  in  vain  to  expect  every  recommendation 
united  in  any  species  of  excellency,  or  department  of 
agency. 

But  to  return  to  these  earlier  converts.  There  was 
something  rather  peculiar  and  specific  about  them. 
They  seemed  to  feel  that  they  were  fast  and  tried  dis- 
ciples, and  had  a  right  to  be  heard.  They  were  fond 
of  going  back,  and  referring  to  their  first  love,  and 
first  enjoyments  and  exercises.   They  talked  rather  too 


THE   REV.   WILLIAM  JAY.  201 

frequently  of  their  own  experience,  and  made  it  too 
mucli  a  standard  for  others,  and  were  too  positive  and 
unyielding  in  some  little  and  indifferent  points,  to 
which  they  attached  undue  importance.  But  who 
could  help  admiring  their  deadness  to  the  world  ? — 
their  heavenly-mindedness  ? — the  readiness  and  zest 
with  which  they  entered  into  religious  conver.-;ation  ? 
— ^the  manner  in  which  they  invariably  spoke  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  as  all  their  salvation  and  all  their  desire  ; 
and  with  whom  they  had  to  do  immediately  in  all  the 
concerns  of  the  spiritual  life  ? — their  forwardness  to 
relieve  the  poor,  and  visit  the  afflicted,  and  to  be  con- 
tent with  such  things  as  they  had  ? — and  their  patience 
and  cheerfulness  in  tribulation  ? 

I  was  also  much  struck  with  their  general  freedom 
from  the  fear  of  death.  They  never  seemed  unwilling 
to  be  reminded  of  its  approach.  They  spoke  of  it  with 
pleasure ;  and  in  conversing  with  their  dying  friends, 
they  appeared  concerned  to  reconcile  them  to  the 
thought  of  recovery,  (should  this  be  the  event,)  rather 
than  to  their  dissolution.  They  rejoiced  with  them 
in  the  prospect  of  their  speedy  release  from  a  wicked 
world,  and  an  evil  heart,  and  of  their  going  so  soon 
home,  and  seeing  the  Saviour,  and  being  forever  with 
the  Lord.  And  when  they  followed  them  to  the  grave, 
they  sorrowed  more  for  themselves,  that  had  sustained 
the  loss,  than  for  their  connections,  whose  death  they 
knew  was  gain.  And  does  not  even  Paley  allow,  that 
in  all  this  they  much  resembled  the  first  Christians. 
Their  attachment  also  to  the  means  of  grace  was  in- 
tense ;  nor  would  they  suffer  distance,  or  weather,  or 
slight  indispositions  to   detain  them.     The   Sabbath 


202  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

was  their  delight,  and  they  numbered  the  days  till  its 
arrival.     And  as  to  the  poorer  of  them — 

"Though  piiich'd  with  poverty  at  borne, 

With  sharp  afflictions  daily  fed ; 

It  made  amends,  if  they  could  come 

To  God's  own  house  for  heavenly  bread." 

Nor  were  these  services  only  pleasing  to  them  in  the 
performance.  They  were  remembered  and  talked  over 
for  days  and  weeks  after.  For  the  sermons  they  heard, 
if  not  highly  polished,  left  effects  which  were  as  goads, 
and  as  nails  fastened  in  a  sure  place,  by  the  hand  of 
the  Master  of  assemblies. 

They  also  seemed  to  have  more  veneration  for  the 
Scriptures ;  and  to  peruse  them  with  more  directness, 
simplicity,  and  docility, — for  the  Bible,  as  yet,  had  not 
been  turned  into  a  work  of  science,  rather  than  of 
faith  ;  and  of  everlasting  criticism,  rather  than  of  de- 
votion ;  nor  were  thousands  of  tutors  and  multitudes 
of  volumes  found  necessary  to  explain  a  simple  book, 
designed  for  "  the  poor"  and  "  the  common  people," 
by  the  only  wise  God  himself. 

What  is  the  simple  and  grand  design  of  revelation  ? 
"  These  things  are  written,  that  ye  may  believe  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God ;  and  that  believing 
ye  might  have  life  through  his  name."  What  care  is 
needful  to  keep  the  reader  from  being  diverted  by  a 
thousand  subordinate  notices  from  the  inquiry — "  What 
must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?" 

Excuse  the  freedom  of  this  letter,  and  the  preference 
I  have  given  (but  not  in  all  things)  to  a  body  of  Chris- 
tians with  whose  modified  descendants  I  have  been 
more  called  to  mix  and  co-operate.     And  let  us  serve 


THE   REV.    WILLIAM  JAY.  203 

our  own  generation,  by  the  will  of  God ;  seizing  its 
advantages,  and  endeavoring,  instead  of  quarrelling 
with  a  few  comparative  evils,  to  rejoice  that  so  much 
has  been  done  ;  and  that  blessed  are  our  eyes  for  what 
they  see,  and  our  ears  for  what  they  hear. 

I  am,  &c. 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

In  attempting  to  supply  some  facts  additional  to 
tlic  very  few  relating  to  the  latter  part  of  Mr.  Jay's 
life  recorded  in  tlie  Autobiography,  we  must  be  per- 
mitted to  state,  that  it  is  impossible  now  to  recover  an 
accurate  account  of  many  events  and  circumstances 
of  interest  connected  with  his  public  life.  Time  is 
frequently  revealing  the  usefulness  of  his  labors  both 
as  a  preacher  and  an  author ;  but  it  is  more  than  j^rob- 
able  that  many  remarkable  instances  of  his  success 
Avill  remain  untold  upon  earth.  We  have  reason  to 
believe  he  knew  of  many  more  than  he  has  anywhere 
recorded.  Some  of  the  more  remarkable  circumstances 
of  his  life  and  ministry  he  has  scarcely,  if  at  all,  noticed. 
It  is  our  intention  to  record  as  many  of  these  as  we 
have  been  able  clearly  to  ascertain.  But  some  have 
been  published  which  are  wanting  in  sufficient  evi- 
dence, and  others  which  are  certainly  false.  The 
chronological  order  we  shall  endeavor  to  observe  as 
far  as  possible.  The  dates  which  we  have  gathered 
with  some  difficulty  from  a  variety  of  sources  will  en- 
able the  reader  to  form  in  his  own  mind,  after  reading 
the  Autobiography  with  the  following  additions,  a  toler- 
ably correct  as  well  as  orderly  conception  of  the  events 
of  Mr.  Jay's  life. 


SUPPLEMENT   TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         205 

His  own  account  of  his  birtli  and  education  is  more 
full  and  satisfactory  than  many  other  parts  of  the  his- 
tory. It  appears  that,  immediately  upon  completing 
his  term  of  study  under  Mr.  Winter,  he  was  engaged 
by  the  Eev.  Eowland  Hill  to  supply  his  pulpit  at  Sur- 
rey Chapel.  This  event,  as  he  himself  states,  was  of 
great  im]3ortance,  as  it  brought  him  into  acquaintance 
with  Miss  Davies,  who  became  Mrs.  Jay  :  and  also  intro- 
duced him  to  the  friendship  of  Mr.  Newton,  Eyland,  and 
others.  The  continuance  of  these  annual  visits  drew 
him  also  into  connection  with  some  of  the  eminent  and 
excellent  men  who  shortly  after  formed  the  plan  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society.  It  was,  as  nearly  as  we 
can  ascertain,  in  the  year  1788  that  Mr.  Jay  falfilled 
his  first  engagement  at  Surrey  Chapel.  The  Mission- 
ary Society  was  planned  and  founded  in  1794;  its 
first  May  meetings  were  held  in  1795 ;  and  at  its  first 
anniversary  in  May,  1796,  Mr.  Jay  was  called  to 
preach,  though  then  only  twenty -seven  years  of  age. 
His  sermon  from  Psalm  Ixxii.  19,  20,  "And  let  the 
whole  earth  be  filled  with  his  glory,  Amen  and  Amen," 
&c.,  was  published  at  the  time,  and  is  included  in  the 
uniform  edition  of  his  works.  This  sermon  was  the 
means  of  the  conversion  of  an  eminent  and  distin- 
guished individual,  John  Poynder,  Esq.,  as  may  be 
seen  in  the  "  Reminiscence"  of  that  gentleman.  Speak- 
ing of  him  in  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Bolton,  many  yea^e  after, 
he  says,  "  Yesterday  I  was  informed  dear  Mr.  Poynder 
had  left  us.  His  death  will  lead  to  another  '  Eemin- 
iscence,'  which  I  began  last  evening.  I  know  as  yet 
no  particulars  of  his  departure.  He  was  one  of  the 
most  noble  and  useful  converts  God  ever  favored  me 
with." 


206         vSUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY, 

Within  four  or  five  years  after  preaching  at  the  first 
Anniversary  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  he 
took  a  journey  on  its  behalf  into  Scotland.  An  inter- 
esting memento  of  this  visit  he  has  preserved  in  the 
Autobiography.  These  facts  sufiiciently  attest  his 
great  popularity  in  the  early  years  of  his  ministry. 
But  his  intimate  connection  with  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  his  deep  interest  in  its  progress, 
as  well  as  the  honor  which  its  successive  directors 
have  awarded  to  him,  will  be  shown  by  the  facts  we 
have  now  to  state. 

In  the  year  1826  he  was  called  to  preach  at  the  an- 
niversary of  that  society  at  the  Poultry  Chapel  to  its 
juvenile  friends.  In  1834  he  preached  a  third  time  at 
its  May  meeting.  His  fourth  sermon  before  the  same 
institution  was  preached  at  its  jubilee  in  November, 
1844  ;  and  again  a  fifth  time  he  preached  at  the  annu- 
al meeting  of  1851  in  Surrey  Chapel.  The  honor  of 
preaching  five  times  at  the  meetings  of  this  society  in 
the  metropolis  has,  we  believe,  fallen  to  the  lot  of  no 
other  individual.  Although  we  have  singled  out  his 
services  rendered  to  this  society,  yet  there  are  many 
others  among  our  public  institutions,  the  interests  of 
which  he  has  ably  and  successfully  pleaded,  both  in 
London  and  the  country,  though  generally  from  the 
pulpit. 

In  the  year  1810  the  college  of  New  Jersey  in  North 
America  conferred  upon  Mr.  Jay  the  degree  of  Doctor 
in  Divinity.  Though  he  did  not  assume  the  title,  yet 
he  acknowledged  the  honor  done  him.  But  that  which 
gave  him  the  highest  satisfaction  was  the  extensive 
circulation  and  usefulness  of  his  writings  in  that  coun- 
try among  all  evangelical  denominations. 


SUPPLEMENT   TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  207 

In  the  course  of  tTie  year  1820  lie  experienced  a 
deep  affliction,  referred  to  pretty  fully  in  his  Autobiog- 
raphy, Letter  XI. ;  on  which  occasion  he  addressed 
the  following  characteristic  note  to  the  deacons  of  his 
church : — 

To  the  Deacons  of  Argyle  Chapel,  Bath. 

Mt  dear  Friends, — ^This  comes  to  you  from  the  house  of  mourn- 
ing and  from  a  bleeding  heart.  I  mourn  much  ;  biit  I  pray  that  I 
may  not  murmur.  I  have  sympathized  with  you  in  your  respective 
trials ;  and  I  know  I  shall  not  ask  in  vain  for  a  share  in  your  ten- 
derness and  prayers.  But  now  that  God  has  taken  away  my  dar- 
ling child,  this  is  to  say  with  Abraham,  "  Give  me  a  place  where  I 
may  bury  my  dead."  Having  passed  the  best  part  of  my  life  among 
you,  it  is  my  wish  to  die  in  your  service.  I  wish  to  have  a  tomb 
that  would  contain  my  own  remains,  whenever  it  shall  please  God 
to  re-unite  me  to  my  child,  and  also  my  dear  wife's,  and  perhaps 
those  of  some  of  the  other  branches  of  the  family.  I  much  desire, 
if  you  have  no  objection,  to  have  it  under  the  burying-ground  house, 
and  would  thank  one  of  you  to  come  over  with  whom  I  have  com- 
municated upon  the  subject,  either  this  evening  or  to-morrow  morn- 
ing early,  as  no  time  can  be  lost.  Excuse  brevity.  I  cannot  write, 
biit  mine  eye  poureth  out  tears  unto  God.  Believe  me,  my  dear 
friends,  as  respects  the  whole  church, 

Your  affectionate  and  devoted  Pastor, 

"William  Jay. 

This  refers  to  the  death  of  his  daughter  Statira,  who 
was  seized  with  fever  while  he  was  on  a  journey  in 
Devonshire,  and  from  which  he  was  recalled,  and  only 
reached  his  home  in  time  to  see  her  die,  without  an 
opportunity  of  communication.  Her  death  occurred 
August  31,  1820,  in  her  nineteenth  year.  Being  the 
first  inroad  made  by  death  in  the  happy  circle  of  his 
family,  it  was  deeply  felt  by  him,  as  appears  b}^  the 
lines  written  on  the  occasion,  and  inserted  among  his 
poetic  remains. 


208         SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

The  year  1831  witnessed  tlie  arrival  of  tlie  fortieth 
anniversary  of  his  pastorate.  The  following  documents 
will  attest  the  deep  interest  his  congregation  felt  in 
that  event,  and  show  how  he  improved  it : — 

At  a  Meeting  of  several  of  the  members  of  the  Church  and  Con- 
gregation held  in  the  Vestry  of  Argyle  Chapel,  on  Friday  the  28th 
Januarj'^,  1831, 

Mr.  Griffiths  in  the  Chair, 
It  was  unanimously  resolved, 

That  this  Meeting  desire  to  express  their  gratitude  to  Almighty 
God  for  the  continuance  of  a  faithful  and  acceptable  Gospel  Min- 
istry under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  William  Jay,  and  for  the 
uninterrupted  harmony  which  has  subsisted  between  their  beloved 
Pastor  and  this  Church  and  Congregation  for  a  period  of  Forty 
Years.  And  that  we,  being  desirous  of  presenting  to  Mr.  Jay  some 
lasting  memorial  of  affection  and  esteem,  do  unite  with  such  other 
persons  as  are  willing  to  contribute  in  raising  such  a  sum  as  may  be 
necessary  for  the  purpose ;  and  that  a  Committee  be  appointed  to 
decide  upon  the  most  desirable  mode  of  carrying  their  object  into 
effect  in  a  manner  the  most  congenial  to  the  feelings  of  our  Min- 
ister. 

That  a  copy  of  the  foregoing  Resolution  be  transmitted  by  the 
Chairman  to  Mr.  Jay. 

Henbt  Griffiths,  Chairman. 

In  pursuance  of  this  proposal,  a  handsome  landau- 
let,  accompanied  with  a  silver  inkstand,  bearing  the 
following  inscription,  was  presented  to  him  : — 

"This  Inkstand,  together  with  a  Landaulet,  was  presented  by  the 
Church  and  Congregation  assembling  in  Argyle  Chapel,  to  their 
beloved  Pastor,  in  commemoration  of  Forty  Years'  faithful  labor 
among  them. 

"Bath,  January  30,  1831." 

The  following  acknowledgment  was  subsequently 
addressed  by  Mr.  Jay  to  the  contributors,  through  the 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   TEE   AUTOBIOGEAPHY.  209 

hands  of  Thomas  Kingsbury,  Esq.,  who  had  acted  as 
chairman  : — 

Bath,  January  29th,  1831. 

My  dear  Sir, — I  beg  to  express  my  very  sincere  and  liearty  thanks 
t.o  all  my  friends  for  the  kindness  they  have  shown  in  contributing 
to  the  handsome  compliment  you  have  presented  me ;  and  also  to 
the  Committee  for  the  trouble  they  have  taken,  and  the  taste  they 
have  displayed  in  the  management  of  the  design. 

As  a  token  of  regard  from  my  Church  and  Congregation  I  shall 
highly  value  the  Inkstand  and  the  Carriage.  The  larger  portion  of 
my  ministry  has  now,  of  course,  terminated.  It  yields  me  great 
satisfaction  (among  a  thousand  causes  for  humiliation)  that  it  has 
continued  for  forty  years  to  meet  with  the  approbation  and  accept- 
ance of  those  I  have  endeavored  faithfully  to  serve  ;  and  I  pray  that 
my  remaining  labors,  whether  they  may  be  of  longer  or  shorter  du- 
ration, may  be  equally  favored  by  them,  and  far  more  blessed  to 
them.  The  present  has  reached  the  receiver  in  a  state  of  great  af- 
fliction and  anxiousness,  during  which  nothing  can  afford  him  the 
pleasure  it  would  produce,  could  the  entirely  loved  wife  of  his  youth 
and  riper  years  be  capable  of  appreciating  it  and  enjoying  it  along 
with  him.  Should  she  be  able  to  employ  the  vehicle  in  her  infirm- 
ity, and  derive  benefit  from  the  use  of  it,  nothing  could  lead  him  so 
much  to  prize  it,  as  he  can  never  discharge  the  obligations  he  is 
under  to  one  who  has  so  sedulously  watched  over  his  life,  health, 
and  comfort,  and  by  keeping  his  mind  disengaged  from  all  other 
things,  and  free  to  follow  his  important  and  delightful  work,  has  so 
much  aided  him  in  any  little  usefulness  he  has  rendered  his  hearers 
and  his  readers,  from  the  pulpit  and  the  press. 

Let  him  importunately  beg,  in  addition  to  the  favors  thus  ac- 
knowleged,  that  you  and  all  the  friends  in  whose  name  you  have 
made  the  communication,  will  not  in  your  prayers  forget, 

My  dear  Sir, 
Your  grateful  but  tried  Friend  and  Pastor, 

William  Jay. 

This  anniversary  was  also  celebrated  by  a  sermon 
preached  in  the  morning  of  Lord's  Day,  January  30, 
1831,  to  a  crowded  and  deeply-affected  audience.  As 
this  was  a  discourse  cf  great  excellence,  and  product- 


210         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AT'TOBIOGRAPHY. 

ive  of  a,deep  impression,  and  ns  it  is  not  included  in 
liis  collected  works,  we  sliall  insert  that  portion  of  it 
which  related  to  the  interesting  occasion  : — 

"So  much  for  the  explanation  of  tlie  words  of  our  text.  But 
there  are  manj*  of  you  who  are  aware  of  the  seasonablencss  of  this 
memento  this  7noridn<j,  to  at  least  one  individual  here.  Yes,  your 
Minister  has  this  morning  been  privately,  and  is  now  publicly,  en- 
gaged in  the  review  of  forty  years,  which  the  Lord  his  God  has  led 
him  in  the  wilderness,  and  during  which  he  has  maintained  the 
most  momentous  connection  with  this  place,  and  with  you,  the  peo- 
ple of  his  charge.  This  is  the  fortieth  anniversary  of  my  ordina- 
tion as  the  Pastor  of  this  Church,  and  the  ilinister  of  this  Congre- 
gation. After  leaving  the  Academy,  and  I  left  it  too  young — but 
that  was  not  my  own  choice — I  labored  for  some  time  in  two  other 
])laces,  though  in  neither  of  them  with  a  view  to  final  settlement. 
By  a  series  of  rather  remarkable  circumstances  I  was  brought,  dur- 
ing the  illness  of  the  minister,  a  man  of  no  ordinary  piety  and  tal- 
ent, to  preach,  one  Sabbath,  to  this  Church  and  Congregation,  then 
assembling  in  the  Chapel  now  occupied  by  "  the  Friends,"  in  St. 
James's  Terrace.  After  this  I  preached  to  the  same  people  several 
other  Sabbaths,  at  different  times.  At  length  this  place  of  worship 
was  to  be  opened  for  their  use  ;  they  invited  me  to  preach  at  the 
opening,  and  the  sermon  preached  on  the  occasion  was  afterwards 
published.  Some  time  after  this,  I  received  an  unanimous  invita- 
tion from  the  Church  and  Congregation  to  settle  among  them ;  hav- 
ing, what  I  valued  much,  the  dying  recommendation  of  the  minis- 
ter. I  accepted  it;  and  this  day  forty  years  ago  I  was  ordained 
your  minister  within  these  walls.  How  many  of  you  have  been 
born  since !  But  there  are  some  who  will  well  remember  the  strip- 
ling that  stood  upon  a  table  before  this  pulpit  in  order  to  give  a 
general  confession  of  his  religious  belief,  and  of  those  truths  which 
he  intended  to  preach  here;  when  he  was  commended  to  the  grace 
of  God  by  prayer,  and  received  a  solemn  charge  from  one  who  has 
long  since  gone  to  gloi-y.  Well  do  1  recall  to  my  mind  some  char- 
acters who  were  then  present;  such,  for  instance,  as  the  venerable 
SLs.  Hannah  More.  Kor  do  I  less  remember  the  feelings  of  another, 
wlio  endcavorei/  to  hide  herself  in  the  crowd  in  the  gallery — the 
most  interesting  character  in  the  world  to  me — whose  name  I  darf 
not  venture  to  utter — and  who  has  been  forbidden,  by  deep  affliction, 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  211 

this  morning,  from  attending  to  hear  these  interesting  recapitula- 
tions from  the  lips  of  her  beloved  husband.  I  believe,  too,  there  is 
another  here  this  morning  who  was  impressed  religiously  by  my  Ser- 
mon that  evening,  and  who  has  ever  since  been  walking  in  the  way 
of  everlasting  life.  Well,  my  dear  brethren,  forty  years  have  roll- 
ed away  since  then  ;  and  perhaps  they  have  been  some  of  the  most 
important  and  interesting  years  that  ever  passed  away.  To  many 
of  you,  indeed,  the  earlier  parts  of  them  must  be  matter  of  history, 
and  not  of  personal  knowledge.  But  let  me  suppose,  now,  six  in- 
dividuals throwing  their  eyes  over  these  forty  years  that  have  pass- 
ed away — a  philosopher,  a  politician,  a  Briton,  a  Christian,  a  Mem- 
ber of  this  Church,  and  the  preacher  himself. 

1.  Let  us  imagine  a  philosopher  throwing  his  eye  over  this  period. 
It  is  impossible  for  him  to  do  this  without  being  struck  with  the 
amazing  advance  of  learning  and  knowledge  of  every  kind.  He 
must  be  sti'uck,  also,  in  many  instances,  with  the  character  of  use- 
fulness and  solidity  which  these  have  acquired.  People  are  not  now 
to  be  satisfied  with  words — mere  names  and  learned  ignorance — 
hypothesis,  mere  conjectures ;  they  ask  for  knowledge,  solid,  sub- 
stantial, useful,  resting  on  the  enduring  basis  of  truth.  Nature  has 
been  analyzed,  the  deductions  of  experiment  have  succeeded  to  the 
theories  of  hypothesis  and  of  opinion.  "What  additions  have  been 
made  to  the  arts  and  sciences — what  accessions  have  been  made  to 
the  discoveries  and  improvements  in  mechanical  power — and  what 
wonders  have  been  performed  by  the  applicatiou  of  steam,  by  sea 
and  by  land !  "What  discoveries  and  improvements  have  been  made 
in  navigation  and  in  chemistry ;  and,  above  all,  in  that  most  inter- 
esting of  all  departments,  anatomy  and  surgery,  when  their  use  and 
•advantage  are  so  palpable  and  undeniable — intimately  connected, 
too,  with  all  that  is  comfortable  and  useful  and  important  in  human 
life !  "What  masses  of  ignorance  and  prejudice  have  been  rolled 
away !  Astrology  and  witchcraft,  and  belief  in  gliosts  and  appar- 
itions, and  dreams  and  visions,  and  a  thousand  other  things  equally 
superstitious  and  foolish  and  hurtful,  have  been  driven  down  to  the 
very  skirts  of  society,  and  are  rarely  to  be  found  even  there.  Con- 
sider how  all  kinds  of  information  have  come  down  from  the  higher 
ranks,  and  been  made  to  circulate  freely  and  influentially  among 
the  middle  and  the  lower  classes  of  society.  Men  can  no  longer  be 
priest-ridden.  Ko,  that  day  has  gone  by,  and  the  danger  now  is 
from  another  extreme — the  danger  now  is  from  licentiousness  of  in- 
quiry, and  contempt  of  lawful  authority,  as  well  as  desjiotism ;  and 


212         SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

recent  occurrences  must  tcacli  us  now  where  we  ouf^lit  to  place  our 
feet,  and  determine  us  to  witbstand  the  encroachments  on  preroga" 
tive,  and  t!ie  invasions,  and  insults,  and  desolations,  of  a  daringly 
tumultuous  and  infidel  radicalism. 

2.  'Li:t  &  politician  look  back  upon  these  years.  Is  he  attracted 
by  new  and  Ktranc/c,  and  wonderful  things,  in  the  st.ite  of  society  ? 
then  he  will  find  materials  enough  in  this  period  amply  to  gratify 
liis  curious  speculations.  What  deviations  from  tlie  usual  course  of 
civil  transactions! — if  not  in  the  things  themselves,  yet  in  their 
number,  in  their  variety,  in  their  magnitude,  in  their  suddenness, 
in  their  rapidity.  "Well  do  some  of  us  remember,  many  years  ago, 
that  there  was  as  much  often  crowded  in  a  single  week,  as  in  ear- 
lier history  might  have  served  to  distinguish  a  whole  age.  We  re- 
member the  time  when  a  newspaper  was  deemed  dull  and  uninter- 
esting, unless  it  announced  some  battle,  or  the  fall  of  some  state,  or 
the  transfer  of  some  province  from  the  fangs  of  one  tyrant  into  the 
grasp  of  another.  What  lapses  of  fortune — what  degradation  of 
rank — what  changes  of  government — what  new  denominations  of 
geography  !  Or  is  he  prone  to  account  for  things,  and  to  trace  back 
effects  to  their  principles?  Suielyhe  will  find  enough  in  these 
forty  years  to  baifle  all  his  sagacity,  and  to  make  him  supply  the 
place  of  inquiry  and  reason  with  profoundest  wonder!  How  many 
of  his  most  confident  opinions  will  he  find  to  be  falsified !  How 
many  events,  which  seemed  improbable,  if  not  impossible,  and  con- 
cerning which,  previously,  he  was  ready  to  say,  "  If  the  Lord  should 
make  windows  in  heaven  might  these  things  be,"  have  actually 
come  to  pass!  And  if  he  were  a  statesman,  whose  religion  would 
allow  him  to  see  and  to  own  the  agency  of  God,  how  would  he  have 
been  led  to  exclaim,  "  His  way  is  in  the  sea,  and  his  path  in  the 
mighty  waters !"  "  0,  the  depth  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of 
God!"  "How  unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  are 
past  finding  out!"  When  he  throws  his  eye  back  upon  the  period, 
and  sees  the  schemes  that  were  abandoned,  the  expedients  that 
failed,  the  confederacies  that  were  dissolved,  the  allies  that  were 
turned  into  enemies,  the  enemies  that  were  turned  into  allies; — 
when  he  sees  princes  led  away  spoiled,  and  judges  made  fools, — if 
he  approves  of  the  plans  and  measures,  and  considers  tliera  as  the 
effects  of  wisdom,  surely  he  must  acknowledge  "  there  is  no  wisdom, 
nor  understanding,  nor  counsel,  against  the  Lord," — that  when  man 
has  done  all  that  the  feebleness  of  his  arm,  and  the  contractedness 
of  his  resources,  enable  him  to  accomplish,   the  agency  of  God's 


SUPPLEMENT   TO    THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  213 

providence  is  necessary  to  give  it  success ;  and  that  it  is,  therefore, 
as  reasonable  a  thing  for  a  statesman  to  pray,  as  for  a  statesman  to 
plan.  Or  if,  in  the  retrospect,  he  condemns  these  measures,  and  the 
effects  they  have  produced ;  if  he  considers  them  as  the  results  of 
folly, — let  him  then  remember  how  limited  are  all  the  faculties  of 
man ;  how  easy  it  is  to  condemn  events  when  they  have  happened. 
Let  him  inqxiire  whether,  if  placed  in  exactly  the  same  circum- 
stances, he  would  not  have  adopted  the  same,  or  it  may  be,  a  much 
worse  line  of  procedure ;  and  let  him  reflect  that,  in  such  unex- 
ampled circumstances,  mistakes  were  almost  mtural  and  unavoid- 
able. The  waters  of  calamity  had  overspread  the  earth,  and  there 
were  no  flood-marks  to  guide  the  statesman  through.  Reflections 
like  these  are  perfectly  just ;  and  surely  they  would  tend,  if  in- 
dulged, to  soften  the  asperities  of  party  rage,  and  induce  politicians 
more  easily  to  tolerate  each  other. 

3.  Let  us  now  imagine  a  Briton — and  we  hope  there  are  many 
true  Britons  yet — let  us  imagine  such  an  one  indulging  in  this 
retrospect.  And  there  are  three  sentiments  which  should  obviously 
animate  and  characterize  him. 

1 .  Of  gratitude.  How  good  has  God  been !  The  heavens  over 
our  heads  have  not  been  brass,  nor  has  the  earth  been  iron.  The 
seasons,  with  little  variation,  have  returned  in  their  proper  time 
and  have  been  fruitful.  He  has  caused  the  grass  to  grow  for  the 
cattle,  and  herbs  for  the  service  of  man ;  our  valleys  have  waved 
with  corn,  and  the  little  hills  have  rejoiced  on  every  side;  the 
mower  has  filled  his  hand,  and  he  that  bindeth  sheaves,  his  bosom ; 
and  the  years  have  been  crowned  with  goodness.  It  is  conceded 
that  the  cup  which  has  been  handed  round  to  the  other  nations 
has  also  been  presented  to  our  lips.  "We  have  tasted  the  contents, 
but  we  have  not  been  called  to  drink  the  dregs.  Our  sufferings 
have  been  considerable ;  but  surely  every  particle  of  justice  and 
ingenuousness  must  have  quitted  the  minds  of  those  who  can  con- 
found the  condition  of  our  nation  with  that  of  any  other  country 
around  us.  We  have  not  been  in  the  seats  of  war,  we  have  not 
had  to  attend  in  the  train  of  devastating  armies.  We  have  not 
been  under  military  rule  and  law.  The  enemy  has  not  been  allowed 
to  iuA'ade  our  shores.  We  have  not  heard  the  confused  noise  of 
warriors,  nor  seen  garments  rolled  in  blood.  We  have  not  seen  the 
smoking  ruins  of  villages,  or  the  wretched  inhabitants  fleeing  with 
their  suckling  babes  clinging  to  their  breasts,  or  supporting  the 
tottering  steps  of  their  aged  parents,  or  shielding  from  inclemency 


21-1         SUPPLEMENT  TO  TIIL  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

and  (Innper  the  sick  nml  the  <lyine.  No.  And  there  have  been  a 
great  man}'  measures  ueliicvcd  whose  beneficial  influence,  I  doubt 
not,  Tvill  long  continue  to  be  felt.  I  have  not  time  to  notice  them  ; 
they  are  familiar  to  all  of  you — down  to  the  abolition  of  the  Test 
and  Corporation  Act,  and  the  carrying  of  the  Catholic  Emancipa- 
tion Bill.  I  ara  very  well  aware  that  many  persons  will  diifer  in 
their  opinion  in  regard  to  this  latter  measure  ;  but  we  must  surely 
admit  that  there  have  been  no  stretches  of  arbitrary  power,  yea, 
that  our  constitutional  rights  have  been  not  only  maintained,  but 
enlarged,  variously  and  considerably,  duiing  these  periods. 

Yes ;  and  yet,  while  we  have  been  acknowledging  these  things, 
have  we  ascribed  them  to  their  proper  Author  {  Is  there  no  euch 
thing  as  a  kind  of  national  self-righteousness,  by  which  we  conceive 
ourselves  entitled  to  such  blessings,  because  we  would  make  our- 
selves believe  that  we  were  better  than  others.  How  many  are 
there  who  "  have  burned  incense  to  their  own  net  and  sacrificed  to 
their  own  drag,"  and  have  never  thought  of  anything  more  than 
of  the  patriotism  of  States,  the  wisdom  of  senators,  or  the  bravery 
of  their  armies  and  navies.  God,  the  good,  the  long-sufiering  God, 
has  boon  overlooked  in  all  this ;  while,  penetrated  with  a  sense  of 
his  kindness  and  our  own  iinworthincss,  we  should  have  exclaimed 
a  thousand  times,  "  Not  unto  us,  O  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy 
name  be  all  the  glory,  for  thy  mercy,  and  for  thy  truth's  sake." 

2.  A  Briton  should  feel  a  seH/i/««i<  of  fear.  We  are  required  to 
rejoice  with  trembling  ;  and  never  were  the  two  more  wisely  united 
than  here.  We  are  like  a  vessel  with  the  wrecks  of  countries  float- 
ing around  us,  preserved  as  yet,  but  not  entirely  relieved  from  ap- 
jirehensions.  Oh !  we  have  reason  to  fear  for  the  number  of  our 
sins,  for  the  heinousness  of  our  sins,  for  the  guilt  of  our  sins  will  be 
aggravated  by  the  mercies  and  advantages  which  we  have  so  sig- 
nally enjoyed.  We  fear,  because  of  the  little  effect  his  dispensations 
have  exerted  upon  us.  What  self-abasement  have  we  expressed  be- 
fore God  ?  What  sins  have  we  abandoned  ?  He  has  spoken  to  us> 
and  we  have  drowned  his  voice  with  the  harp  and  tabret.  His 
hand  has  been  lifted  up,  and  we  have  refused  to  see  it.  lie  has 
smitten  and  we  have  disdained  to  receive  correction.  Who  can  tell 
but  he  is  now  looking  over  our  Jerusalem,  and  ready  to  say,  "  Oh, 
that  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  that 
belong  to  thy  peace  ! — but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes." 

o.  Let  a  Briton  review  the  period  with  hope  for  the  future.  Who 
could  destroy  this?     The  factions  have  always  been  ho])ele88,  and 


SUPPLEMP:NT  to   the   ALTOBIOGRArHY.         215 

cbaracterized  alike  by  the  principles  of  puerility  and  villany.     1  sym- 
pathize not  with  those  who,  from   fanaticism,  or  folly,  or  perverse- 
aes?,  have  delighted  to  foredoom  their  country,  and  to  declare  the 
judgments  of  God,  which  in  their  frenzied  imaginations  were  about 
to  be  poured  out  upon  it,  because  fear  is  the  easiest  of  all  the  pas- 
sions to  excite,  and  the  easiest  of  all  passions  also  to  propagate. 
These  sentiments  being  announced,  they  are  concerned  for  the  sup- 
port of  them.     They  must,  therefore,  paint  darkly  both  the  times 
and  the  events,  to  make  them  accord  with  their  predictions.     What 
is  the  sacrifice  of  a  kingdom  to  the  falsification  of  one  of  their  con- 
jectures?    Remember  how  it  was  with  a  true  prophet  of  old,  who, 
rather  than  lie  under  the  suspicion  of  being  mistaken  in  his  predic- 
tions, desired  that  all   the  men,  and  women,  and  children,  in  JS'iii- 
cveh,  should  die,  rather  than  he  should  appear  to  be  a  false  prophet. 
Why  wonder,  therefore,  at   others  who   do  not  hail   calamities  as 
vouchers  for  the  truth  of  their  word  ?     But  we  do  not  surrender  up 
ourselves  to  these  gloomy  imaginations.     We  indulge  hope  concern- 
ing our  country ;  because  "  to  the  Lord  our  Qod  belong  mercies 
and  forgiveness,  though  we  have  rebelled  against  him ;"  because  we 
aie  upheld  by  his  promise  ;  because  the  number  of  those  who  love 
and  serve  him  is  continually  increasing,  and  they  have  power  with 
God ;  because  if  we  too  must  resemble  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  we 
have  more  than  Abraham  to  intercede  for  us,  and  more  than  ten 
righteous  men  to  stand  in  the   gap,  and  say,  "Save   thy  people,  O 
Lord,  and  give  not  thy  heritage  to  reproach  !"  because, 

"  Oft  have  our  fathers  told. 
Our  eyes  have  often  seen. 
How  well  our  God  secures  the  fold 
Where  his  own  sheep  have  been  ;" 

because  we  believe  that  our  destination  is  glorious,  and  that  we  are 
the  ordained  mediums  of  divine  grace  to  extend  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Personal  trials  are  often 
sanctified  to  individuals  ;  and  however  trying  they  may  be  at  the 
time,  when  the  believer  has  been  enabled  to  look  back  upon  his 
past  course,  and  to  survey  all  his  trials  and  afflictions,  his  language 
we  know  will  be,  "It  is  good  for  me  that  I  was  afflicted."  Why, 
then,  may  it  not  be  the  same  nationally  ?  Why  may  not  national 
corrections,  and  humiliations,  and  afiiictions,  produce  national  ref- 
ormation, and  thus  preclude  national  ruin  ?      Yes,  we  ho^e  yet 


216         SUPPLEMKXT   TO   THK   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

that  even  that  commercial  distress,  which  of  late  has  been  so  great 
and  so  portentous,  will  lead  to  superior  modes  of  merchandise  and 
trade,  and  prevent,  in  future,  all  such  hazardous  and  iniquitous  spec- 
ulations. We  hope  that  even  the  violence  and  outrage  which  have 
BO  extensively  and  alarmingly  prevailed,  will  be  checked  by  oppor- 
tune judicial  interference,  and  the  salutariness  of  punishment,  and 
be  overruled  by  leading  people  to  a  concern  for  the  distresses  of  the 
suffering  poor,  and  to  a  consideration  of  every  possible  means  for 
their  relief.  We  hope  that  the  evils  which  have  obviously  and  are 
now  generally  acknowledged  to  have  grown  out  of  the  two  extrem- 
ities in  society,  the  very  rich  and  the  very  poor,  will  be  checked, 
and  that  there  will  be  a  greater  increase  of  the  intermediate  grada- 
tions upon  whicli  so  much  of  the  welfare  and  safety  of  the  country 
dejiend.  We  hope  that  the  looking  into  the  public  exjienditure  and 
pensions  will  lead  to  retrenchment ;  that  the  voice  of  real  griev- 
ance will  be  heard,  and  that  the  call  for  reform  will  be  strictly  and 
speedily  regarded. 

We  confess,  therefore,  that  we  feel  nothing  like  despair  in  refer- 
ence to  our  country ;  we  view  it  differently  from  every  other  coun- 
try ;  and  though  as  yet  we  are  not  a  nation  of  Christians,  blessed 
be  God,  we  have  a  Christian  constitution.  Our  constitution  is  not 
a  thing  of  a  day  ;  it  has  borne  the  test  of  ages.  Our  institutions 
are  based  injustice — everlasting  justice — and  come  to  us  commend- 
ed by  manifold  proofs  of  their  utility.  And,  after  all  that  has  been 
averred  to  the  contrary,  we  are  persuaded  that  the  majority  of  the 
English  nation  is  yet  sound  at  the  core. 

4.  Let  us  take  a  Christian,  and  suppose  him  looking  over  these 
forty  years.  He  ought  to  judge  of  things  far  differently  from  others. 
He  ought  to  judge  by  a  standard  of  his  own.  "  He  walks  by  faith, 
and  not  by  siglit."  He  ought  to  judge  more  disinterestedly  and 
more  spiritually  ;  hence  he  may  feel  peace  and  contentment,  while 
others  are  filled  with  depression  and  despair.  Kot  that  the  Chris- 
tian is  insensible  to  public  calamities  ;  he  can  say  with  David,  "My 
flesh  trembles  for  fear  of  tliee,  and  I  am  afraid  of  thy  judgments." 
He  cries  for  the  abominations  that  are  done  in  the  midst  of  us.  Not 
but  that  he  feels  as  a  man  and  as  a  citizen.  But  then  the  Christian 
absorbs  the  man  and  the  citizen.  A  Christian  extends  his  views  be- 
yond the  particular  community  or  country  to  which  he  belongs. 
The  cause  that  lies  nearest  his  heart  is  the  cause  of  his  Redeemer ; 
and  he  would  be  unworthy  the  name  of  a  Christian  if  he  did  not 
judge  of  the  value  of  tilings  principally  by  their  bearing  upon  that 


SUPPLEMENT   TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         217 

cause.  He  would  be  ashamed  of  himself  if  lie  did  not  consider  that 
the  most  prosperous  season  in  which  this  best  and  most  glorious 
cause  advanced  most  flourishingly,  regardless  entirely  of  either  per- 
sonal or  public  inconyeniences  or  distresses.  "  What,"  should  he 
say,  "  if  schemes  have  failed  while  His  cause  is  prosperous  !  "What 
if  I  have  been  reduced  and  embarrassed  while  He  is  magnified  and 
glorified  !"  Let  the  times  be  troublous,  if  but  the  walls  of  this  tem- 
ple rise ;  and  I  then  rejoice,  yea,  and  will  rejoice.  Now,  on  this 
principle,  we  say  that  a  Christian  ought  to  think  well  of  the  times 
wherein  we  have  been  living. 

When  the  Saviour  was  about  to  come  in  the  flesh,  God  said,  "  I 
will  shake  the  heavens  and  the  sea  and  the  dry  land,  and  I  will 
shake  all  nations,  and  the  desire  of  all  nations  shall  come,"  and  that 
has  often  been  the  ease  with  Him  also  in  the  Gospel.  So  it  has 
been  here.  How  has  he  displayed  the  vanity  of  all  creature-great- 
ness, as  if  he  would  constrain  persons  to  turn  their  back  upon  the 
world,  and  to  seek  a  better  part — an  enduring  treasure !  And  con- 
siderable effects  have  been  produced,  yes,  some  of  the  great  have 
been  impressed  by  them.  I  am  persuaded  that  there  has  been  a 
greater  movement  among  persons  in  the  higher  rank  of  life,  relig- 
iously considered,  than  among  any  other  class.  We  have  had,  dur- 
ing this  period,  a  monarch  who,  for  fifty  years,  was  an  example  of 
morality  to  his  people.  We  have  had  statesmen  who  have  not  only 
pleaded  for  Christianity,  but  even  for  its  evangelical  doctrines.  We 
have  had  noblemen  who  have  worshipped  God  morning  and  even- 
ing in  their  families.  Can  a  Christian  be  indifferent  to  the  progress 
of  freedom  during  these  forty  years  ?  We  are  commanded  to  pray 
that  the  word  of  the  Lord  may  have  free  course,  and  run,  and  be 
glorified.  But  we  are  not  to  dictate  to  God  how  this  prayer  is  to 
be  answered.  We  are  to  pray  that  the  chariot  of  the  everlasting 
Gospel  may  go  forward,  and  we  well  know,  that  for  thi.s  purpose 
"  every  valley  must  be  exalted,  and  every  mountain  and  hill  made 
low,  the  crooked  made  straight  and  the  rough  places  plain."  God's 
soldiers  will  have  much  to  do  in  our  world  in  many  places  before 
his  preachers  can  do  anything.  Look  at  China ;  you  send  your 
Bibles  and  missionaries  there — what  progress  could  they  make  ?, 
Suppose  Whitfield  had  begun  his  career  in  Spain  or  Portugal,  in- 
stead of  beginning  it  in  this  country ;  the  first  sermon  which  he  had 
preached  would  have  crushed  him  under  the  savagism  of  the  inqui- 
sition ;  and  no  more  would  have  been  heard  of  him.  But  what  has 
taken  place  within  the  compass  of  the  years  we  are  now  reviewing? 
10 


218         SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

Why,  there  is  Protestant  preaching  even  in  Rome  itself,  the  seal  ^f 
the  "beast."  Even  in  popish  countries  now,  wliere  the  cursed  in- 
quisition is  formally  put  down,  you  see  liow  it  works.  No  heretic 
can,  indeed,  be  openly  put  to  death;  for  if  a  hertvic  were  now  to 
be  burnt,  either  in  Spain  or  Portugal,  it  would  prciduce  a  clamor  to 
the  ends  of  Europe — and  they  are  aware  of  it.  Yet  the  progress  of 
religious  liberty  is  much  impeded  by  the  restrictions  which  have  so 
long  obtained  in  respect  of  civil  liberty. 

Can  a  Christian,  then,  review  the  progress  of  civil  liberty,  which, 
when  properly  considered,  includes  religious  freedom,  and  not  be 
grateful  for  the  times  in  which  we  live  ?  Is  it  nothing  that  good 
men  have  been  uniting  together  to  co-operate  for  the  extension  and 
establishment  of  the  good  cause  upon  general  principles,  while  with 
respect  to  minuter  differences,  they  have  been  disposed  to  say — 
"Let  every  one  be  fully  persuaded  of  them  in  his  own  mind"?  Is 
it  nothing  that  theology  has  been  delivered  from  the  jargon  and 
folly  of  the  schools  ?  Some,  indeed,  have  avowed  that  the  truth 
was  perishing  in  the  earth ;  but  I  am  persuaded  that  the  Gospel 
was  never  more  fully  preached  than  during  these  forty  years  ; 
while  there  have  been  inculcated  all  the  principles  of  the  reforma- 
tion, these  have  been  darkened  with  less  of  the  metaphysical,  and 
less  of  the  controversial,  than  before  ;  iiseless  subtleties  have  been 
dropped,  and  truth  has  come  home  to  men's  business  and  bosoms. 
Is  it  nothing  that  infidelity  has  been  driven  off  the  field — that  it 
is  now  only  fighting  in  ambush — that  it  is  necessitated  to  betake  it- 
self only  to  objections  which  have  been  triumphantly  answered  a 
thousand  times  ?  Some  of  you,  it  is  true,  cannot  compare  the  pres» 
ent  state  of  religion  in  the  country  with  what  it  was  forty  years 
ago  ;  but  some  of  us  can. 

Row  many  Associations  have,  during  this  period,  been  organized, 
or  enlivened,  or  enlarged  in  their  sphere  of  active  usefulness? 
Look  at  the  Sunday  Schools.  They  were  then  in  their  beginning, 
and  we  had  to  explain  them  ;  they  were  opposed,  and  we  had  to 
defend  them. 

But  there  was  nothing  like  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 
The  Methodists  had  one  Society  (Missionary) ;  our  Baptist  brethren 
Avere  about  commencing  their  splendid  Missionary  career  ;  but  the 
London  Missionary  Society  was  not ;  and  the  Church  Missionary 
Society  was  not.  All  these  have  been  established  within  these  forty 
years  which  we  are  now  reviewing ;  and  we  have  been  the  means 
of  their  support  and  their  combined  operation.    People  talk  of  da:  k 


SUPPLEMENT   TO   THE   A  if  TOBIOGRAPHT.  219 

times.  Dark  times !  What  do  they  mean  ?  We  are  now  speaking 
religiously  and  practically.  The  times,  blessed  be  God,  have  gone 
by,  when,  if  the  country  had  peace  and  plenty,  the  bulk  of  the  peo- 
ple were  cursed  with  the  greatest  of  all  plagues,  an  unregenerate 
ministry  ;  and  were  perishing  for  lack  of  knowledge.  "  The  Lord 
gave  the  word,  and  great  was  the  company  of  them  who  published 
it."  Had  I  died  the  day  after  my  ordination,  and  been  lately  raised 
from  the  dead,  and  led  again  through  this  country,  I  should  have 
been  perfectly  astonished  at  the  change,  and  have  exclaimed,  "  What 
hath  God  -wrought !" 

5.  Let  us  imagine  a  Member  of  this  Christian  Community  review- 
ing these  years.  It  is  not  easy  to  satisfy  the  benevolence  and  the 
zeal  of  a  truly  pious  mind.  Such  an  individual  always  laments 
that  more  is  not  done,  and  that  it  is  not  done  better ;  and  yet  I 
think  that  a  person  attached  to  this  social  body — a  person  who  has 
been  led  to  pray,  "Peace  be  within  these  walls,  and  prosperity 
within  this  palace — For  my  brethren  and  companions'  sake,  I  will 
say.  Peace  be  within  thee  "—must  see  something  that  is  pleasing 
and  grateful  in  the  review.  We  must  have  seen  how  "  the  little 
one  has  become  a  thousand ;"  how  many  have  been  "  added  to  the 
church  of  such  as  should  be  saved ;"  and  how  few  comparatively 
have  been  excommunicated  or  rebuked  for  immoral  conduct.  We 
must  have  seen  the  unity  and  the  harmony  that  have  prevailed  from 
the  beginning  within  our  church,  without  discord;  and  yet  the 
times  we  have  lived  in,  have  been  troublous.  In  what  a  state  of 
danger  and  fermentation  has  society  been  !  And  there  has  been 
enough  of  the  latter  among  some  of  our  neighbors ;  but  we  have 
enjoyed  tranquillity.  Yet  we  have  not  all  thought  alike  doetrinal- 
ly.  There  have  been  shades  of  difference  with  respect  to  church 
government ;  some  have  not  been  Independent  in  their  views ;  some 
have  preferred  Presbyterianism  or  Episeopalianism;  yet  there  have 
been  no  discords.  We  have  not  all  thought  alike  with  respect  to 
the  ordinances  of  religion,  but  "here,"  as  Cowper  said,  "the  dipped 
and  sprinkled  have  lived  in  peace."  I  have  always  treated  those 
who  in  this  matter  conscientiously  difl^ered  from  me,  with  Christian 
candor  ;  and  I  must  say  they  have  abundantly  repaid  it.  As  it  has 
been  with  sentiment,  so  it  has  been  with  liberality.  We  have  had 
institutions  of  our  own  :  the  Sick  Man's  Friend  Society,  and  others 
of  the  same  description.  We  have  aided  other  institutions  of  the 
Gospel ;  the  London  Missionary  Society;  the  Home  and  Irish  Socie- 
ties ;  besides  admitting  occasionally  other  collections,  which  have 


220         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   Al'TOBIOGRAPHY. 

always  been  such  as  to  do  honor  to  the  minister  an^.  the  congrega- 
tion. 

The  cause  also,  must  be  considered  here  as  having  been  a  candle- 
stick holding  out  the  light  to  others.  Bath  is  a  place  of  peculiar  re- 
sort and  intercourse.  Many  have  therefore  dropped  in  here  who 
liave  received  conviction,  and  carried  it  away  with  them.  How 
often  have  I  bean  delighted,  when  called  to  preach  in  various  parts 
of  the  country,  to  meet  many  individuals  who  have  acknowledged, 
that  their  first  impressions  of  religion  were  received  from  the 
preacliing  of  the  word  within  these  walls.  Several  Dissenting  min- 
isters, and  no  fewer  than  three  episcopal  clergymen,  whose  names  I 
might  mention,  have  acknowledged  to  me  that  here  they  first  re- 
ceived the  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

Once  more,  the  preacher  must  be  allowed  to  review  these  years. 
I  know  there  are  many  strangers  in  this  congregation,  and  I  really 
feel  for  tliem  this  morning.  It  is  hardly  to  be  supposed  that  they 
will  feel  interested  in  a  great  deal  of  what  I  deliver  on  tliis  occa- 
sion. But  I  must  depend  upon  their  candor  and  good  sense,  to  ex- 
cuse a  recapitulation  in  which  the  preacher  and  the  hearer  must  be 
considered  as  feeling  a  concern,  after  an  interesting  connection  of 
so  many  years.  It  is  impossible  also  now  to  go  on  without  some 
reference  to  myself.  Whether  I  have  credit  enough  witli  the  au- 
dience to  prevent  the  imputation  of  egotism  and  vanity,  I  cannot 
determine  ;  I  must  be  content  to  lie  under  the  suspicion — a  suspicion 
which,  I  can  appeal  to  God,  is  undeserved — the  design  of  the  refer- 
ence being  not  to  set  off  myself,  but  being  in  fact  altogether  inevi- 
table. It  is  impossible,  then,  for  the  minister,  in  a  review  of  these 
forty  years,  not  to  feel  both  gratified  and  solemnized,  yea,  to  feel  a 
number  of  emotions  so  mingled  in  hij  bosom,  that  he  cannot  express 
them  separately.  In  general,  I  can  say,  that  tliese  years  have  been 
years  of  pleasure ;  and  I  should  have  no  objection  to  go  through 
them  again.  Goodness  and  mercy,  intermingled  with  some  trying 
dispensations,  have  followed  me  all  the  days  of  these  years.  But  I 
have  a  livelier  idea  of  the  kindness  of  Providence  than  when  I  be- 
gan them — a  better  opinion  of  my  fellow-creatures,  and  more  con- 
fidence in  them.  My  views  of  some  religious  subjects  have  been 
rendered  more  liberal,  and  encouraging,  and  satisfactory.  My  life, 
too,  has  been  preserved,  while  so  many  of  my  brethren,  and  many 
of  them  much  younger,  have  been  hurried  off  in  the  midst  of  their 
days.  And  then,  for  some  time,  my  own  life,  I  believe,  was  deemed 
precarious  by  my  medical  friends;  of  this  I  am  sure,  my  life  was 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         221 

deemed  precarious  by  myself:  I  had  the  sentence  of  death  within 
myself,  and  never  did  I  expect  to  reach  anything  like  this  anniver- 
sary. But  God  was  pleased  to  raise  me  up,  to  renew  and  establish 
me.  Some  of  my  own  order,  these  forty  years,  have  fallen  by  temp 
tation ;  some,  who  having  put  their  hands  to  th?  Gospel  plough, 
have  looked  back ;  some  have  been  drawn  off  by  dangerous  errors, 
injuring  their  character  and  destroying  their  usefulness;  while, 
"  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  am  what  I  am."  Many  years  have  passed, 
many  changes  have  occurred,  yet  have  I  been  upheld  till  now. 
Who  could  hold  me  up  but  thou,  O  God  ?  During  these  years  I 
have  become  a  father,  and  I  have  lived  to  see  my  children's  children. 
I  have  also  become  a  pretty  extensive  author ;  and  on  this  latte'r 
account  I  feel  peculiarly  grateful,  having  received  so  many  testi- 
monies both  at  home  and  from  abroad,  and,  because  by  my  writing, 
I  can  be  doing  good  in  many  places,  and  to  many  individuals,  at 
the  same  time  ;— because  I  can  be  useful  through  these  means,  when 
I  myself  am  here  no  more  ;  and  because  by  these  my  own  people 
may  have  in  remembrance,  after  my  decease,  many  of  my  religious 
sentiments,  and  I  can  be  aiding  them  in  the  closet,  and  at  the  family 
altar,  when  the  clods  of  the  valley  are  round  about  me.  Of  these 
numerous  works,  unless  indeed  it  be  their  imperfections,  were  I 
dying,  I  should  not  wish  to  blot  out  a  single  line;  and  I  hope  there 
is  not  a  single  sentence  of  them  that  can  give  offence  to  Christians 
of  any  denomination.  I  desire  to  bless  God  for  having  continued 
my  acceptance,  and  I  trust,  my  usefulness  also,  so  long.  The  charm 
of  novelty  must  long  ago  have  been  worn  off;  and  you  will  bear  me 
witness  that  I  never  attempted  to  strike  into  any  new  paths.  I 
have  never  tried  to  get  into  any  new  wind  of  popularity ;  and  if 
any  such  wind  has  aided  me,  it  has  fallen  in  with  my  own  steady 
course.  It  sought  me,  I  never  sought  it.  But  I  have  other  feelings 
on  this  occasion.  How  is  it  possible  that  I  should  not  be  affected 
with  the  loss  I  have  sustained  in  hearers  and  members?  What 
family  is  there  here  that  has  not  bled  during  these  forty  years  ? 
What  pew  that  has  not  been  stripped  of  some  of  its  occupiers? 
What  think  you  of  those  who  signed  my  call  when  I  came  here  ? 
There  are  only  three  individuals  now  alive.  0,  how  much  precious 
and  endeared  dust  have  I  interred  in  our  burying-ground !  Who 
has  not  something  there  now  which  he  calls  his  own  ?  Blessed  be 
God,  I  see  others  rising  up ;  and  instead  of  the  fathers  the  children  ; 
but  "my  soul  desireth  the  first  ripe  fruit."  Can  I  be  otherwise  than 
affected  with  the  p:\53ervation  of  my  own  life  ?    When  I  was  or- 


222  SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

dained  here  tliis  almoiul  tree  had  not  tlioii  flourished.  Eiit,  blessed 
be  God,  not  one  of  the  hairs  liave  grown  gra}'  in  tlie  sc-rvicc  of  the 
world  and  of  sin  ;  yet  the  greatest  jiart  of  my  life  is  gone,  and  by 
far  tlie  greatest  pat  t  of  it  has  been  spent  in  jour  service.  The  even- 
ing of  life  has  now  set  in,  gcntlj'  and  niihll}'  indeed ;  but,  to  alter 
the  metaphor,  you  had  part  of  the  spring  ;  you  have  had  the  whole 
of  the  summer;  and  if  there  be  any  ripeness  in  the  winter,  this  is 
before  us.  But  the  winter  has  come,  and  how  ean  I  help  being 
afFeeted  with  my  awful  responsibility  ?  How  many  services  during 
these  forty  years  have  I  engaged  in  !  How  many  individuals  must 
I  meet  at  a  righteous  tribunal !  But  a  merciful  Saviour — here  is 
my  consolation — I  serve  a  master  who  knows  our  frame,  and  remem- 
bers that  we  are  dust.  I  have  a  consciousness  that  1  never  per- 
verted my  ofKce  to  secular  purposes ;  that  I  never  shunned  to  de- 
clare what  I  thought  to  be  the  whole  counsel  of  God ;  that  I  have 
never  concealed  the  truth,  nor  mangled  it  at  the  expense  of  my  own 
convictions. 

Though  I  do  not  consider  kindness  shown  to  ministers  as  elee- 
mosynary, yet  I  cannot  but  publicly  express  my  thanks  to  those 
who  have  all  along  shown  me  so  much  of  their  esteem  and  regard. 
As  for  others,  they  will  feel  easy.  I  never  burdened  any  one,  in  any 
instance  or  degree;  and  at  the  end  of  forty  j'cars,  I  have  no  obliga- 
tion, in  reference  to  them,  to  acknowledge — a  boast  which  perhaps 
few  ministers  of  my  standing  or  acceptance,  in  the  kingdom,  can 
make. 

But  I  have  already  encroached  too  much  upon  your  time.  If  the 
great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles  entreated  of  those  to  whom  he  wrote 
to  have  an  interest  in  their  prayers  at  the  throne  of  grace,  how 
much  more  have  I  reason  to  say,  "  Brethren,  pi'ay  for  us,"  "and  for 
me,  that  utterance  may  be  given  me,  that  I  may  speak  boldly  as  I 
ought  to  speak ;"  that  I  may  be  supported  and  sustained  in  my  af- 
flictions ;  that  the  arms  of  my  hands  niay  be  made  strong  by  the 
hands  of  the  mighty  God  of  Jacob  ;  that  I  may  be  long  spared  to 
preach  to  you  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  that 
at  last,  as  an  unprofitable  sei-vant,  I  may  be  enabled  to  look  for  the 
mercy  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life  I  "  The  Lord  bless 
Tou  and  keep  you ;  the  Lord  make  his  face  to  shine  upon  you,  and 
be  gracious  imto  you ;  the  Lord  lift  up  the  light  of  his  countenance 
upon  you,  and  give  you  peace!" 

With  this  benediction  I  was  about  to  conclude;  but  how  can  I 
conclude  without  reminding  some,  who,  long  as  I  have  addressed 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  223 

them  in  this  place,  I  have  yet  addressed  in  vain  !  How  many  hundred, 
how  many  thousand  affecting  invitations,  and  solemn  warnings, 
and  iirgent  admonitions  have  you  heard  from  my  voice !  With  that 
voice,  like  birds  in  the  belfry,  you  have  grown  familiar;  and  the 
peal  which  once  alarmed  you,  now  passes  by  and  leaves  you  unaf- 
fected. You  are  just  what  you  were  twenty,  thirty  years  ago,  and 
some  of  you  forty  years  ago,  too.  Ah  !  no,  you  are  not  the  same  ; 
you  cannot  be  the  same  ;  if  you  are  not  the  better,  you  must  be  the 
worse ;  if  the  preaching  of  the  word  has  not  proved,  in  your  expe- 
rience, "the  savor  of  life  unto  life,"  it  must  prove  "the  savor  of 
death  unto  death."  Under  what  a  condemnation  will  some  of  you 
perish !  You  cannot  now  dissolve  the  connection  which  you  have 
had  so  many  years  with  the  means  of  grace,  even  if  you  would  now 
detach  yourselves.  And  the  image  of  this  place,  the  figure  of  the 
preacher,  the  tones  of  his  voice,  and  the  messages  of  grace  which 
he  has  delivered,  will  be  remembered  hereafter,  and  will  be  as  fuel 
to  that  fire  that  shall  never  be  quenched,  and  food  to  tliat  worm 
that  shall  never  die.  Oh  !  that  I  could  this  morning  bring  you  to 
consider !  Oh  !  that  God  would  awaken  your  consciences !  And 
when  this  voice  which,  for  these  forty  years,  has  filled  this  house, 
is  silent,  and  when  another  shall  occupy  this  sacred  desk,  may  "  the 
beauty  of  the  Lord  our  God  be  upon  you,  establishing  the  work  of 
your  hands — yea,  the  work  of  your  hands,  may  God  establish  it 
upon  you !     Amen." 

In  the  year  1833  an  eminent  and  a  distingaiished 
individual,  wlio  miglit  not  have  been  expected  to  feel 
any  curiosity  to  hear  the  Dissenting  minister  of  Bath, 
was  present  in  Argyle  Chapel  on  two  successive  Sun- 
days, and  on  both  parts  of  the  day.  The  following 
extracts  from  the  "  Memoirs  of  Sir  William  Knighton, 
Bart.,  Physician  to  Eang  George  lY.,  and  Keeper  of 
the  Privy  Purse,"  written  by  Lady  Knighton,  will  be 
interesting  to  the  readers  of  Mr.  Jay's  Life. 

June  9,  1833.  "We  this  morning  attended  Mr.  J.'s  chapel.  He 
had  been  visited,  as  he  stated,  with  domestic  afliiction  during  the 
previous  night.     It  was  supposed  to  be  the  illness  of  Mrs.  J.     He 


224         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

preached  from  the  llOtli  Psalm,  SUd  verse, — "  I  "will  run  the  way  of 
thy  commandments,  when  thou  slialt  enlarge  my  heart." 

He  said,  tliis  saying  by  David  compreliended  three  things — a 
complaint — a  deiicudence — and  a  resolution.  He  propounded  in  a 
very  beautiful  manner  the  usefulness  of  knowledge  in  Divine  things, 
and  stated  that  this  was  a  qualification  not  sufficiently  preached — 
but  without  which  we  could  do  nothing — we  could  not  even  make 
a  beginning.  "  Faith  in  Christ." — His  illustrations  were  beautiful. 
I  wish  I  could  remember  them  sufficiently  to  write  them  down.  He 
praised  the  Liturgy  of  the  Church,  and  said  it  was  to  be  lamented 
that  the  doctrines  of  the  reading-desk  were  not  alwaj's  preached  in 
the  pulpit ;  and  observed  that  they  (meaning  himself  and  congre- 
gation) did  not  deserve  to  be  called  Dissenters,  for  they  did  not  dis- 
sent from  the  doctrines  of  the  beautiful  Litany ;  but  that  they  were 
called  Methodists,  fanatics,  and  enthusiasts  for  preaching  them. 

The  chapel  was  quite  full,  and  seemingly  with  well-dressed  peo- 
ple. We  went  in  the  evening  again  to  hear  Mr.  J.,  and  were  disap- 
pointed to  find  he  was  not  to  officiate ;  but  Mr.  J.,  who  preached, 
completely  satisfied  us.  I  never  heard  a  more  delightful  discourse. 
His  text  was  from  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  Hebrews,  9th  verse  : 
"There  remaineth  therefore  a  rest  to  the  people  of  God."  He  drew 
a  most  aficcting  picture  of  the  miseries  of  this  probationary  life,  and 
the  joys  that  await  the  true  and  holy  Christian— for  in  heaven  there 
is  a  day  of  rest.  There  was  no  sorrow,  no  calamity,  no  adversity, 
no  deep  affliction  in  this  life  that  he  did  not  bring  home  to  one's 
understanding  and  feelings.  He  brought  many  of  them  before  us 
with  a  heart-rending  eloquence,  as  if  the  sources  were  drawn  from 
his  own  bosom.  The  loss  of  a  child — perhaps  an  only  child — here 
he  paused,  and  I  fancied  I  saw  his  lip  quiver  as  the  tongue  gave  ut- 
terance to  the  sentence.  When  he  called  upon  his  Christian  hear- 
ers to  look  to  that  day  of  rest  where  corruption  would  cease,  and 
the  joys  of  heaven  supersede  all  the  woes  connected  with  our  pres- 
ent earthly  tabernacle,  his  manner  of  conducting  the  subject  was 
delightful.  He  said  that  he  had  no  doubt,  deducing  his  authority 
from  Scripture,  that  saints  and  Christians  do  know  each  other  in  a 
future  state ;  that  the  child  taken  fi'om  the  disconsolate  parent  io 
early  life  would  welcome  the  pious  and  holy  Christian  parent  to 
heaven.  This  earthly  separation,  therefore,  as  being  only  for  a  sea- 
son, bears  marks  of  Divine  love,  and  not  the  dispensation  which,  in 
our  sorrow,  we  feel  as  an  overwhelming  calamity.  I  underwent 
great  emotion  as  he  proceeded,  and  so  did  Mr.  D.,  and  never  felt  my 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         225 

heart  more  under  the  holy  influence  of  religion.  I  am  sure  poor 
Mr.  Jay  must  have  felt  the  prayer,  and  the  able  discourse.  I  fancy 
he  was  in  the  chapel.  Mrs.  Jay  is  alive,  but  she  was  struck  with 
paralysis  the  preceding  night.  This  has  been  a  very  interesting 
day,  and  I  shall  not  readily  forget  it. — Vol.  ii.  p.  307-311. 

Sunday,  16th  June,  1833.  We  hailed  this  morning  with  great 
pleasure,  because  we  had  the  satisfactory  prospect  of  again  hearing 
Mr.  Jay,  and  we  were  not  disappointed.  He  preached  from  the  119th 
Psalm,  18th  verse  :  "Open  thou  mine  eyes,  that  I  may  behold  won- 
drous things  out  of  thy  law."  He  began  by  explaining  what  was 
meant  by  the  law.  It  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the  com- 
mands of  God.  David  saw  the  Gospel  in  the  law.  It  is  in  vain  to 
go  to  this  book  with  any  opinions  of  your  own.  You  must  take  it 
as  it  is — the  law  of  God  cannot  be  changed.  If  your  conscience, 
when  awakened  under  the  terrors  of  the  law,  has  found  comfort  un- 
der the  Gospel,  you  may  hope  that  you  are  in  the  right  road.  But 
let  me  tell  you,  he  said,  that  religion  and  the  knowledge  of  this 
book  are  not  of  sudden  growth.  This  I  would  not  only  address  to 
the  infidel  and  unbeliever,  but  also  to  the  fanatic  and  enthusiast. 
The  one  adapts  everything  to  his  own  presumptuous  notions  and 
opinions;  the  other  mystifies  and  confuses  revelation  from  heaven 
with  things  not  yet  revealed.  That  such  states  are  both  dangerous 
may  be  well  understood,  when  David,  who  knew  so  much,  calls  out, 
not  in  the  self-sufficient  language  of  our  times,  but  iu  the  words  of 
the  text,  "  Open  thou  mine  eyes,"  &e. 

Mr.  Jay  adverted  to  the  wonders  of  the  universe.  lie  referred  to 
the  chapter  he  had  read  before  the  sermon,  in  which  the  miracle  is 
related  of  our  Lord's  restoring  the  blind  to  sight,  and  stated  that 
spiritual  blindness  is  quite  as  perceptible  as  corporeal  blindness. 
The  man  corporeally  blind  could  not  indeed  deceive  you — the  loss 
of  the  sense  was  apparent — but  the  spiritual  blindness  was  also  evi- 
dent to  the  true  Christian.  The  soul  must  receive  a  Divine  influ- 
ence, not  miraculous,  (for  there  is  no  such  thing  now-a-days,)  but  a 
sense  of  its  own  unworthiness  ;  then  follow  penitence  and  prayer ; 
an  earnest  desire  for  the  Saviour's  image  to  be  implanted  in  the 
heart ;  a  life  in  the  ways  of  godliness,  according  to  the  law  and  the 
gospel.  Cicero,  the  greatest  philosopher,  and  the  wisest  among 
those  of  his  day,  was  accustomed  to  say,  that  we  lived  by  the  pow- 
er of  the  gods — but  that  to  live  well  and  not  wickedly  was  in  our 
own  power.  Seneca  said,  that  those  men  who  lived  in  the  rules  of 
virtue  were  in  merit  above  the  gods,  because  the  very  nature  of 

10* 


226         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

their  existence  did  not  admit  of  their  being  otherwise.  Here  you 
have  the  reasonin}^  of  the  wisdom  of  this  world.  Truly,  when  you 
come  to  contemplate  the  establishment  of  Christianity,  it  strikes  you 
with  awe  and  wonder  that  a  few  unlettered  fishermen,  without 
learning,  or  what  we  call  education,  should  be  sent  forth  to  preach 
the  redemption  of  mankind  to  the  uttermost  corners  of  the  earth. 

In  the  evening,  Mr.  Jay's  discourse  was  from  Job,  ix.  4 :  "  He  is 
wise  in  heart,  and  mighty  in  strength:  who  hath  hardened  himself 
against  hiui,  and  liath  prospered?"  He  began  by  giving  llie  char- 
acter of  God  most  beautifully,  and  then  he  drew  the  picture  of  the 
hardened  sinner.  I  wish  that  every  sinner  could  have  heard  him. 
In  giving  the  catalogue  of  sins  that  belong  to  sinful  man,  he  said,  it 
was  wonderful  with  what  a  degree  of  complacency  words  were 
found  to  palliate  all  the  vile  passions  of  wickedness.  Covetousness 
was  a  sense  of  prudence  to  one's  self  and  family ;  revenge,  a  just 
sense  of  what  was  due  to  one's  self  on  the  score  of  honor  ;  a  depart- 
ure from  truth,  a  necessary  observance  of  the  ways  of  the  world, 
and  so  on.  He  mentioned  that  Lord  Bacon  liad  said,  that  "  Knowl- 
edge is  power;"  and  this  saying  had  been  put  forth  as  Lord  Bacon's  ; 
but  Solomon  had  said  long  before  Lord  Bacon  was  cradled,  that 
"Wisdom  is  a  defence,"  and  so  it  is.  It  gives  a  power  that  wealth 
cannot  often  give,  although  Solomon  says  that  "  "Wealth  buyeth  all 
things."  There  seemed  no  end  to  the  beautiful  and  appropriate 
truths  put  forth  in  this  discourse. — Vol.  ii.  p.  328-332. 

This  will  110  doubt  be  interesting  to  the  reader,  as 
evincing  the  deep  impression  which  Mr.  Jay's  preach- 
ing was  calculated  to  make  upon  j^ersons  of  cultivated 
minds,  and  moving  in  the  highest  walks  of  life.  Many 
such  took  the  opportunity  of  hearing  him  when  in 
Bath,  and,  in  numerous  instances  like  the  present, 
have  been  known  to  express  both  the  great  pleasure 
and  spiritual  profit  they  had  experienced. 

THE  JUBILEE  OF  MR,  JAY'S  PASTORATE. 

The  next  important  event  in  Mr.  Jay's  history, 
which  it  becomes  us  to  record,  was  the  completion  of 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         227 

the  fiftieth  year  of  his  ministry  in  Argyle  Chapel. 
The  commemoration  of  this  event  was  looked  forward 
to  with  no  little  interest  by  a  yeiy  wide  circle  of 
friends.  Those  in  particular  who  formed  his  church 
and  congregation  resolved  to  celebrate  the  day  in  a 
manner  honorable  to  all  parties.  Of  this  memorable 
occasion  we  now  proceed  to  give  an  abridged  account 
from  the  little  volume  which  was  afterwards  publish- 
ed— observing,  at  the  same  time,  that  since  we  could 
not  and  did  not  deem  it  needful  or  proper  to  transfer 
the  whole  to  these  pages,  we  have  limited  our  extracts 
to  the  speeches  of  Mr.  Jay  and  the  chairman,  with 
those  portions  of  Mr.  Jay's  sermon  which  were  spec- 
ially appropriate  to  the  occasion. 

The  first  meeting  was  one  for  devotion  held  on  the 
morning  of  Lord's  day,  January  31,  1841,  in  Argyle 
Chapel,  at  seven  o'clock,  when  fervent  thanksgivings 
and  prayers  were  offered. 

At  nine  o'clock  the  scholars  in  the  Sunday  School 
belonging  to  the  chapel  were  assembled,  and  received 
presents  of  books  bearing  appropriate  inscriptions, 
commemorative  of  the  day.  A  suitable  address  was 
delivered  to  them  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Nichols,  of  Dar- 
wen,  Lancashire. 

At  eleven  o'clock  the  public  service  was  held  in  the 
chapel.  The  introductory  devotional  service  was  con- 
ducted by  the  Rev.  S.  Nichols,  after  which  Mr.  Jay 
preached  from  1  Thess.  ii.  19  :  "What  is  our  hope,  or 
joy,  or  crown  of  rejoicing  ?  Are  not  even  ye  in  the 
presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming  ?" 

The  sermon  contains  highly  interesting  instruction, 
addressed  to  the  learner  of  the  Gospel,  under  the  dif- 
ferent classes  of  those  who  encourage,  those  who  solace. 


228         SUPPLKMKNT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

and  those  who  dignify  ministers.  After  the  general 
discussion  of  the  text,  the  author  enters  into  a  detail 
of  the  ciicumstances  which  led  to  liis  settlement  at 
Bath,  and  a  review  of  his  lengthened  ministry,  the 
substance  of  which  being  contained  in  the  autobiog- 
raphy now  23ubhshed,  wx  pass  over,  for  the  sake  of  in- 
troducing a  few  of  the  solemn  and  affecting  paragraphs 
which  close  the  sermon. 

"  Such  are  the  reflections  derivable  from  the  subject  of  our  text, 
and  the  occasion  of  the  day.  And  now  what  can  I  add  more?  As 
I  ascended  this  desk,  and  looked  down  upon  this  vast  audience,  I 
said  to  myself,  Ah  I  where  will  all  this  assembly  be  by  the  return 
of  this  Jubilee  ?  Some  of  you  will  remain,  and  perhaps  you  will 
then  be  talking  over  what  is  now  passing  here ;  but  where,  oh  where, 
will  the  majority  of  you  be  found  tiieu  ? 

"  As  to  many  of  us,  a  much  shorter  period  will  have  removed  us, 
and  the  places  that  now  know  us  will  know  us  no  more  forever. 
Other  occupiers  will  fill  these  pews ;  other  singers  will  lead  the 
psalmody,  when  the  voices  of  those  who  now  charm  us  will  be  silent 
in  the  grave  ;  and  another  voicewill  be  heard  in  this  pulpit  tliaii 
thiit  which  has  filled  it  for  fifty  years  past. 

"To  how  many  of  you  is  my  ordination  a  matter  of  history? 
You  have  been  born  since  that  day,  wliicli  many  of  your  futliers 
and  mothers  attended.  Ilow  many  of  you  have  I  taken  in  these 
hands,  and  ofl'ered  to  God  in  holy  baptism !  How  many  of  you 
have  I  hailed  at  j'our  coming  to  the  table  of  the  Lord  !  And  how 
many  of  your  connections  have  I  followed  to  our  burial-ground  1 
'Ah!'  says  one,  '  there  lies  my  cherub-child  1'  'And,'  says  another, 
'there  lies  the  desire  of  mine  e^'es,  taken  away  with  a  stroke.' 
'  And  there,'  says  another,  '  lies  the  guide  of  my  youth.' 

"  1  am  glad,  therefore,  when  every  church  has  a  place  of  interment 
of  their  own :  it  seems  keeping  up  still  a  kind  of  connection  with 
the  departed.  Our  dead  lie  not  among  strangers.  '  There  1  buried 
Abraham,  and  Sarah  his  wife;  there  1  buried  Isaac,  and  llebccca 
his  wife ;  and  there  I  buried  Leah  1'  We  have  all  our  precious  dust 
in  yonder  ground.  Where  is  the  person  belonging  to  us  who  does 
not  go  to  the  grave  to  weep  there  ?  I  am  sometimes  ready  to  be 
jealous  lost  our  burying-plaee  should  become  richer  than  our  church- 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         229 

But  no;  instead  of  the  fathers  are  their  children.  Our  sons  are  as 
plants  gi'own  up  in  their  youth ;  our  daughters  are  as  corner-stones 
polished  after  the  similitude  of  palaces;  and  we  have  a  noble  band 
of  the  young  and  middle  aged,  who  have  coveuanted  with  God,  and 
who  are  saying  we  will  not  forsake  the  house  of  our  God.  0,  how 
does  old  age,  while  it  leaves  life,  peal  off  continually  its  connections, 
till  we  seem  left  even  as  a  beacon  upon  the  top  of  a  mountain,  or  as 
an  ensign  upon  the  hill !  0,  how  many  of  the  various  relations  of 
life,  dui-ing  such  a  varied  and  extensive  acquaintance  as  mine,  have 
gone  down  to  the  dust,  and  have  seen  corruption !  How  many 
ministers  have  been  taken  away  !  '  The  fathers,  where  are  they  i 
and  the  prophets,  do  they  live  forever  ?'  Of  all  the  ministers  that 
belonged  to  the  Wiltshii-e  Association  when  I  entered  it,  1  am  the 
only  survivor ;  and  of  all  those  who  signed  my  call  when  I  came 
here,  only  one  remains,  whose  venerable  head  you  would  have  seen 
here  this  day,  but  for  indisposition.  And,  0 !  what  a  curtailment 
are  fifty  years  in  a  brief  duration  like  ours.  Your  preacher,  there- 
fore, feels  this;  and  though,  in  some  measure,  he  can  talk  like 
Caleb,  who  said,  '  As  yet  I  am  as  strong  this  day  as  1  was  in  the 
day  that  Moses  sent  me :  as  my  strength  was  then,  even  so  is  my 
strength  now,  for  war,  both  to  go  out,  and  to  come  in,'  yet  he  does 
not  forget  that  the  days  of  our  years  are  threescore  years  and  ten. 
Yes ;  therefore,  a  pei-iod  cannot  be  far  remote  when,  as  he  hopes  he 
shall  never  stand  in  the  way  of  usefulness,  he  will  either  entirely 
resign  his  labors,  or  share  them  with  another ;  and,  though  he  knows 
the  extreme  difficulty  attached  to  a  concern  where  three  parties  are 
BO  deeply  interested,  the  Lord  can  provide.  Now  I  seem  to  be  tak- 
ing a  fai'ewell  of  the  fifty  years  which  I  have  passed  within  these 
happy  walls  !  "What  a  difference  between  the  day  of  which  I  am 
reminded,  and  this  day !  Tlieti,  I  was  rapidly  entering  life ;  1  am 
now  gradually  withdravring  from  it.  Then,  I  was  commencing  my 
voyage  across  an  untried  ocean  ;  now,  with  the  glass  in  my  hand,  1 
am  looking  for  the  fair  havens.  Then,  1  was  a  mere  youth :  now 
surrounded  with  children  and  grandchildren.  What  was  then 
anxiety,  is  now  repose;  what  was  then  hope,  is  now  accomplish- 
ment ;  what  was  then  prayer,  is  now  praise.  What  a  season  of 
humiliation,  you  will  naturally  conclude,  must  this  have  been ! 
We  are  hardly  aware  of  our  deficiencies  and  imperfections  till  some- 
thing occurs  which  drives  us  to  retire,  and  reflect  and  revievr. 
But  who  can  look  back  upon  fifty  years,  and  not  exclaim,  '  Entei 
not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant,  0  Lord  ;  for  in  thy  sight  shall 


2oO        SUPPLEMRNT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

no  flesh  living  be  justified.'  '  0  Lord,  if  thou  shouldst  mark  in- 
i(juity,  0  Lord,  who  can  stand !'  Yet  what  a  source  of  thanksgiving 
ought  it  to  be  !  How  has  my  life  been  indulged !  How  few  have 
been  bo  satisfied  with  favon  and  filled  with  the  blessing  of  the 
Lord!     Yet  I  have  had  trial*  enough  to  remind  me  that 

'Full  bliss  is  bliss  divine.' 

"  Though  I  have  not  drunk  deep  of  the  cup,  I  have  tasted  the 
bitterness  of  affliction.  One  trial  has  pressed  upon  me  with  peculiar 
force  ;  and  concerning  which  I  should  have  been  ready  to  say,  Lord, 
afflict  me  in  any  other  point !     But  his  ways  are  judgment. 

" But  what  deliverances  have  I  experienced  during  this  period! 
Serious  attacks  of  indisposition  formerly  prepared  me  to  expect  an 
abbreviated  ministry  ;  and  perhaps  you  looked  for  it  too  ;  but,  hav- 
ing obtained  help  of  God,  I  continue  to  this  day  ;  and,  after  all  the 
Ebenezers  I  have  reared  along  the  road,  I  now  rear  the  largest  of 
them  all.     And, 

"  '  Here  in  thy  house  I  leave  my  vows. 
And  thy  rich  grace  record  ; 
Witness,  ye  saints  who  hear  me  now, 
If  I  forsake  the  Lord.'  " 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day  the  Eev.  Timothy 
East,  then  of  Birmingham,  preached  from  Daniel  xii, 
3  :  "  They  that  turn  many  to  righteousness  {shall  shine) 
as  the  stars  forever  and  ever." 

On  the  Tuesday  morning  following,  (Feb.  2,)  a  pub- 
lic breakfast  took  place  at  the  Assembly  Rooms.  The 
number  of  persons  present  at  the  breakfast  was  eight 
hundred  and  twenty.  The  ministers,  attending  both 
from  the  city  and  neighborhood,  were  about  forty. 
Henrj^  Godwin,  Esq.,  was  called  to  the  chair. 

In  his  introductory  observations  Mr.  Godwin  par- 
ticularly alluded  to  the  friendship  of  Mr.  Wilberforce 
for  Mr.  Jay.     He  said, — 

"There  is  one  witness  whom  I  could  almost  wish  were  here  this 
morning  to  bear  his  testimony  to  the  worth  of  our  beloved  pastor. 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.        231 

Believe  me,  sir,  I  am  not  going  to  indulge  in  the  language  of  adu- 
lation ;  it  would  be  as  repugnant  to  me  as  it  would  be  offensive  to 
you ;  and  as  contrary  to  the  canons  of  good  taste  as  to  the  canons 
of  Scripture.  I  wish  the  sainted  Wilberforce  were  here  to  testify 
his  esteem  for  you  ;  and  we  know  not  but  that  he  may  be  looking 
down  with  pleasure  upon  us  now ;  for  if  angels  rejoice  over  a  re- 
pentant sinner,  why  should  not  glorified  saints  look  with  ecstasy 
upon  such  a  scene  as  this  ?  But  I  can  give  you  the  testimony  of 
Wilberforce  himself;  and  I  give  it  you  on  the  veracity  of  a  man, 
who  feels,  I  trust,  that  he  stands  in  the  sight  of  God. 

"  Though  not  intimately  acquainted  with  that  good  man,  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  having  three  intervicAVs  with  him,  in  one  of  which 
Mr.  Jay  was  the  subject  of  conversation ;  speaking  of  whom  he 
said,  'There  is  one  thing  in  Jay,  (for  he  spoke  familiarly,  and  I 
will  speak  familiarly  too,)  there  is  one  thing  in  Jay,  dear  Jay,  that 
1  love  ;  it  is  his  uniform  consistency,  his  uniform  humility.  I  re- 
member when  he  was  a  very  young  man ;  and  I  know  that  the 
popular  applause  which  followed  him  was  enough  to  turn  a  young 
head ;  but  he  always  kept  his  steady  course ;  I  never  saw  him  iu 
the  least  inflated  by  it.  I  never  saw  the  least  indication  of  his 
being  so ;  he  seemed  to  shake  it  off  as  the  lion  shakes  the  dew  from 
his  mane.  Dear  Jay,  I  love  Jay!'  Such  was  the  testimony  of 
Wilberforce ;  but  his  sons  appear  to  have  forgotten  that  love ;  at 
all  events  they  have  not  shown  it  in  the  Biography  of  their  Father." 

After  some  further  observations  appropriate  to  the 
occasion,  the  chairman  read  the  following  address 
from  the  church  and  congregation : — 

TO    THE   BKV.    WILLIAM   JAY. 

Reverend  and  Dear  Sir,— Fifty  years  have  rolled  away  since  a 
gracious  God  was  pleased  to  direct  the  Church  and  Congregation 
assembling  in  Argyle  Chapel  to  choose  you  as  their  pastor.  Solemn 
is  the  thought  that  of  those  who  then  crowded  to  hear  you  profess 
"  a  good  profession  before  many  witnesses,"  few — very  few — remaia 
to  welcome  this  day;  and  of  those  who  then  invited  you  to  ac- 
cept the  ministerial  charge,  one,  only  one,  honored  individual  sur- 
vives. But  God  has  preserved  you!  and  we  are  now  assembled  to 
commemorate  the  lapse  of  half  a  century,  spent  in  holy  duty  and 


282        SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

aflfectionate  intercourse  between  yourself  and  the  people  of  your 
charge. 

We  come  not  to  praise  you.  It  would  not  bo  acceptable  to  you, 
and  wc  regard  the  occasion  as  too  hallowed  for  any  such  purpose. 
We  desire  to  unite  with  you  in  fervent  gratitude  to  the  Great  Head 
of  the  Church  for  the  signal  blessings  He  has  bestowed  on  you, 
in  fitting  j'on  for  the  high,  and  sacred,  and  distinguished  course 
of  ministerial  usefulness  He  has  enabled  you  to  fulfil ;  and  on  us, 
as  a  Church  and  Congregation,  in  pi-oviding  for  us  so  rich  and 
edifying  an  exhibition  of  the  Gospel  of  the  grace  of  God. 

But  while  wc  bow  in  gratitude  before  the  I\Iost  High,  and  would 
devoutly  adore  Ilini  for  his  goodness,  we  cannot  be  insensilde  that 
under  Him  "  from  whom  cometh  every  good  and  perfect  gift,"  we 
owe  you  much.  To  the  great  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  Philemon 
owed  his  "  own  self."  To  you  some  of  us  are  under  similar  obli- 
gations ;  and  it  is  our  prayer,  that,  with  those  of  our  predecessors 
and  fellow-worshippers,  who  have  departed  in  the  faith,  we  may 
unitedly  rejoice  in  the  day  of  Christ,  that  you  have  neither  run 
nor  labored  in  vain. 

Receive  from  us,  very  dear  sir,  the  assurance  of  our  strong  aflfectiou 
and  unabated  regard;  and  with  it,  as  a  token  of  our  attachment  to 
your  person,  of  our  veneration  for  your  character,  and  of  our  grat- 
itude for  your  labors  as  a  faithful  minister  of  Christ,  wc  request 
your  acceptance  of  the  accompanying  tribute  of  esteem. 

Finally,  we  pray  for  your  prosperity,  and  commend  you  to  the 
love  of  the  Saviour.  May  the  evening  of  life,  whi^jh  is  now  come 
upon  you,  and  upon  one  who  has  tenderly  and  long  augmented  your 
joys  and  alleviated  your  anxieties,  ever  be  irradiated  by  the  Divino 
presence ;  and  when  it  shall  please  Him,  whom  you  serve,  to  call 
you  to  the  temple  above,  may  these  glorious  words  break  upon  your 
ear,  "Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant;  enter  thou  into  the  joy 
of  thy  Lord." 

Signed  on  behalf  of  the  Church  and  Congregation,  Bath,  January 
30th,  1841  :— 

Henry  GRiFFrrH, 
William  New  all,  Isaac  Tjilet 

James  Buyant,  Jacob  T^tley, 

R.  H.  Griffith,  Samuel  Fishkk, 

Deacons  of  the  Ch'Tci 


SUPPLEMENI    TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.        233 

H.  Godwin,  Chairman  of  the  Committee, 
Rice  Hopkins,  Secretary  of  the  C  •>mmittee. 
JouN  I\Iaitue-ws,  William  G eorge, 

George  King,  ■  John  Barnard, 

Richard  Parker  Lemon,  Edward  Saunders, 

William  Price,  Charles  Godwin,  < 

Richard  Finigan,  George  Northmore, 

William  James,  Thomas  Barter, 

John  Griffiths  Mansford,       James  Griffiths, 
J.  C.  Spencer,  William  Gibbons, 

S.  King,  Henry  Edmund  Goodkiuge, 

Henky  Morgan,  , 

Being    the   Committee    appointed   at   a   General   Meeting   of  the 
Churcli  and  Congregation,  held  13th  October,  1840. 

With  this  Address,  sir,  which  so  fully  expresses  my  own  senti- 
ments, I  have  to  present  you  also  with  this  salver,  and  purse, 
(which  contains  £650,)  as  a  token  of  our  united  esteem,  affection, 
and  gratitude. 

The  salver  was  of  silver,  with  a  shell  pattern  border, 
containing  in  the  centre  the  following  inscription,  sur- 
rounded with  an  engraved  wreath  of  flowers : — 

Presented, 

Together  with  the  Sum  of  Six  Hundred  and  Fifty  Pounds, 

to  the 

REV.  WILLIAM  JAY, 

By  the  Members  of  the  Church  and  Congregation 

Assembled  in  Argyle  Chapel,  Bath, 

^  And  by  other  Friends, 

On  the  complelioii  of  the  Fift  eth  Year  of  his  happy  and  useful  Pastorate, 

As  a  Tribute  of 

Christian  esteem,  affection,  and  gratitude. 

January  30,  1841. 

The  Kev.  William  Jaj  then  addressed  the  assembly 
as  folloAvs : — 

Mr.  Chairman  and  my  Christian  friends, — Of  late  years  you  have 
not  often  heard  me  speak  publicly,  unless  in  my  own  appropriate 


231        SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

sphere.  It  was  not  without  reflection  and  conviction  that,  bpliev- 
in<^  every  man  is  best  in  his  own  order,  considering  the  limitation 
of  human  powers,  and  knowing  liow  liable  1  was  to  imjiortunities, 
and  feeling  the  pressure  of  various  imi)ortant  engagements,  I  was 
induced  to  lay  down  a  rule — and  which  I  rendered  general,  in  order 
to  avoid  giving  particular  offence — that  I  would  decline  all  plat- 
form engagements,  and  confine  myself  more  exclusively  to  the  press 
and  the  pulpit. 

With  regard  o  the  former,  I  hope  I  have  not  erred,  because  I 
have  not  failed,  God  having  given  large  acceptance  and  circulation 
to  mj'  various  and  numerous  publications ;  in  consequence  of  which 
I  have  the  pleasure  to  think  that,  after  my  decease,  there  are  many 
who  may  derive  some  pleasure  and  iirofit  from  the  labors  of  my 
pen  ;  and  especially  tliat  my  own  church  and  congregation  will  be 
able  to  have  in  remembrance  many  of  the  things  they  heard  from 
the  living  voice. 

Nor  do  I  think  I  have  been  mistaken  with  regard  to  the  latter, 
when  I  was  led  to  view  my  principal  duty  as  lying  in  Argyle 
Chapel,  since,  after  having  preached  there  for  more  than  half  a  cen- 
tury, I  have  had  no  diminution  in  attendance  or  attention  ;  and  I 
now  survey  this  large  and  voluntary  assembly'  convened  together 
to  exliibit  tokens  of  their  regard. 

Without  any  intimation  or  promise  from  myself,  I  fear  an  expect- 
ation has  been  raised  that,  on  this  occasion,  I  should  take  rather  a 
hirge  review  of  a  ministry,  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  whose  ordi- 
nation so  many  of  my  friends  have  agreed  to  celebrate  in  this  flat- 
tering manner.  But,  in  the  first  place,  in  the  usual  course  of  nature, 
you  will  soon,  from  what  I  may  leave  behind  me,  learn  some  of  the 
circumstances  of  my  earlier  history,  if  they  may  be  worth  inquir- 
ing after  ;  and  you  will  see  the  peculiar,  the  very  peculiar  manner 
in  which  the  providence  of  God,  without  any  design  or  effort  of 
my  own,  or  of  my  humble  friends,  led  me  into  a  work  to  which  I 
have  consecrated  so  large  a  portion  of  my  life  happily,  and  I  hope 
not  unprofitably.  And,  in  the  next  place,  on  Sabbath-day  morning 
last,  (as  our  Chairman  has  mentioned,)  I  took  a  pretty  large  review 
of  things,  especially  as  they  led  to  the  formation  of  my  connection 
with  those  who  have  so  long  been  "my  hope,  and  joy,  and  crown 
of  rejoicing ;"  together  with  some  other  circumstances  connected 
with  the  Church  and  with  the  Pastor. 

1  seem,  therefore,  nov/  only  called  to  do  wliat  would  be  a  very 
pleasing  duty  were  it  not  for  the  load  of  emotion  under  which  I 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.        235 

am  called  to  discharge  it;  for,  unless  I  were  made  xip  of  insensibil- 
ity and  stupidity,  you  must  suppose  that  I  could  not  receive  such 
an  address,  such  a  token,  such  a  testimonial,  without  feelings  which 
would  be  too  oppressive  and  embarrassing  to  allow  of  a  full,  or  per- 
haps even  proper,  utterance.  I  will  not,  therefore,  attempt  what  I 
feel  to  be  impracticable  ;  but  will  briefly  and  simply,  and  in  a  man- 
ner the  most  respectful  and  grateful,  acknowledge  my  obligations 
to  you,  Mr.  Chairman,  for  your  disinterested,  zealous,  and  judicious 
agency — to  the  gentlemen  of  the  Committee  who  have  been  con- 
nected with  you ;  and  to  all  those  who  have  contributed  on  this  oc- 
casion, as  if  mentioned  by  name.  Many  of  them  are  present ;  they 
can  receive  my  thanks  from  my  own  lips  immediately ;  and  I  hope 
that,  in  some  way  or  other,  they  will  reach  all  those  contributors 
also  who  are  absent — for  I  find  that  I  have  had  friends  not  only  at 
home  but  abroad — and  also  to  that  distinguished  and  truly  Chris- 
tian Poet  who  has  deigned  to  employ  his  Muse  on  this  occasion. 

But  what  do  I  owe  to  those  ladies  who  darted  into  this  business, 
and  who  have  shown  (they  are  always  combined  in  them)  so  much 
earnestness  and  taste  in  the  arrangement  of  this  festival?  I  never 
indeed  desjDair  of  anything  being  done,  and  being  done  well,  when 
it  once  gets  into  the  heads,  and  the  hearts,  and  the  hands  of  females. 
My  fail-  sistei's,  I  am  not  indulging  the  language  of  flattery.  My 
conscience  bears  me  witness  that  I  have  always  had  a  concern  iu 
private  and  in  public  to  plead  the  cause  of  your  sex ;  and  you  may 
take  it,  if  you  please,  as  a  kind  of  testamentary  avowal,  that,  in  a 
long  and  not  unobserving  life,  I  have  always  found  females — like 
the  dear  afflicted  one  at  my  right  hand — worthy  of  peculiar  conli- 
dence,  esteem,  and  praise. 

I  hope  I  have  character  enough  to  obtain  for  me  a  belief,  when  I 
affirm,  that  all,  with  regard  to  this  Jubilee — excepting  the  sacred 
part  of  it — originated  with,  and  has  been  carried  on  by,  others ; 
and  therefore  all  the  guilt  must  rest  upon  the  heads  of  a  numerous 
body  of  fi'iends,  who  have  been  perhaps  too  partial  and  too  warm 
in  their  friendship. 

I  should  be  sorry  if  any  have  been  led  to  imagine,  because  I  have 
generally  been  successful  in  life,  that  I  had  now  well  feathered  a 
nest  for  myself,  or  for  one  dearer  to  me  than  myself.  But  T  can 
glory  in  saying  this  is  not  the  case.  While,  therefore,  with  regard 
to  the  pecuniary  part  of  this  oblation,  I  am  not  at  a  loss  to  employ 
it,  especially  relatively  and  prospectively,  yet  it  is  not  with  this 
ihat  I  am  principally  impressed.     "  How  long  have  I  to  live  that  J 


286        SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

should  go  up  with  the  king  to  Jerusalem  ?"  I  hope  Providence  and 
grace  have  tauglit  me,  in  whatsoever  state  T  have  been,  therewith 
to  be  content.  Nor  can  I  expect  to  derive  any  immediate  comfort 
from  this  present;  but  as  a  testimony  of  respect  and  approbation  I 
exceedingly  prize  it ;  and  there  are  few  things  which  could  have 
afforded  me  more  pleasure,  considering  the  principle  from  which 
the  gift  has  sprung,  and  the  various  expressions  of  esteem  and  re- 
gard with  which  it  has  been  accompanied. 

I  feel  also  the  unsectarian  nature  of  this  boon,  as  it  has  come 
from  churchmen  and  dissenters,  and  from  the  various  religious  par- 
ties for  whom  I  have  often  preached,  and  for  whom  I  have  al- 
ways prayed,  saying,  "Grace  be  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity  ;"  for  "  whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  my 
Father  which  is  in  heaven,  the  same  is  my  mother,  and  sister,  and 
brother." 

From  the  rank  and  office  of  some  of  the  contributors,  in  Church 
and  State,  perhaps  it  may  be  expected  that  there  should  be  a  more 
distinct  acknowledgment.  1  am  very  willing  to  render  to  them  the 
praise  which  is  their  due ;  but  you  will  allow  me  to  say,  I  have 
been  most  affected  with  the  poor  of  my  flock,  and  nothing  will  so 
long  remain  written  on  the  fleshly  table  of  my  heart  as  the  gener- 
osity of  one  individual  who  presented  sixpence  to  one  of  my  dea- 
cons, adding,  "  I  only  wish  it  were  a  hundred  pounds." 

I  have  only  one  thing  more  to  add.  I  take  this  purse,  and  I  pre- 
sent it  to  you,  madam,  {addressing  Mrs.  Jay,  in  whose  hands  he  placed 
the  purse,  amidst  tlie  warm  applause  of  the  company,) — I  present  it  to 
you,  madam,  who  have  always  kept  my  purse,  and  therefore  it  has 
been  so  well  kept.  Consider  it  as  entirely  sacred  to  your  pleasure, 
your  use,  your  service,  your  comfort.  I  know  this  has  been  perfectly 
unexpected  by  you,  but  it  is  also  perfectly  deserved  by  you. 

Mr.  Chairman,  and  my  Christian  friends, — There  is  not  one  here 
this  morning  but  would  acquiesce  in  this  appropriation  if  they 
knew  the  value  of  this  female  as  a  wife  for  more  than  fifty  years  ; 
and  if  they  knew  also  the  obligation  the  public  is  under  to  her,  if  I 
have  been  enabled  in  any  measure  and  degree  to  serve  my  genera- 
tion ;  and  how  much  her  sex  owe  to  one  who  always  raised  and 
confirmed  my  estimation  of  them ;  and  especially  how  much  my 
own  church  and  coTigregation  owe  to  one  who  has  watched  over 
their  preacher's  health,  who  has  cheered  him  under  all  his  trials, 
who  has  remj-ded  him  continually  of  his  duty,  who  has  animated 
him  in  the  prosecution  of  it,  and  who  has  freed  him,  when  in  he»" 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUIOBIOGEAPHY.        2o7 

po-^ver,  from  every  interruption  and  embarrassment,  that  he  might 
be  free  in  his  work  ;  and  how  much  my  family  owe  to  her  for  aid- 
ing in  training  up  a  number  of  children,  who  will  always  'all  her 
blessed ;  and  being  the  mother  of  another  mother,  who  now  resides 
in  America,  shining  at  the  head  of  a  lovely  train  of  thirteen  children, 
all  walking  with  her  in  the  way  everlasting. 

After  the  delivery  of  Mr.  Jay's  speecli,  tlie  following 
gentlemen  addressed  the  meeting  :  the  Eev.  E.  Elliott 
of  Devizes,  the  oldest  of  Mr.  Jay's  contemporaries,  the 
Eev.  J.  Gr.  Bedford  of  Winchester,  a  minister  of  the 
Estabhshed  Church,  the  Eev.  T.  Haynes  of  Bristol, 
the  Eev.  T.  East  of  Birmingham,  W.  T.  Blair,  Esq., 
the  Eev.  S.  Martin  of  Cheltenham  (since  of  London), 
Edward  Smith,  Esq.,  of  London. 

The  Eev.  J.  Jackson,  of  Taunton,  then  gave  out 
one  of  the  h3'mns  composed  for  the  occasion  by  James 
Montgomery,  Esq. ;  after  which  he  pronounced  the 
usual  benediction,  and  dismissed  the  assembly. 

EVENING    MEETING. 

At  the  evening  meeting  in  Argyle  Chapel,  Henry 
Godwin,  Esq.,  was  again  called  to  the  chaii'.  On  one 
side  of  the  pulpit  was  placed  a  handsome  stone  pillar 
commemorative  of  Mr.  Jay's  predecessor,  the  Eev. 
Thomas  Tuppen,  and  of  the  erection  of  the  chapel ; 
and  on  the  other  side  of  the  pulpit  a  corresponding 
pillar  commemorating  the  fift}^  years'  pastorate  of  the 
Eev.  W.  Jay.  The  pillars  are  of  Scotch  granite  beau- 
tifully polished,  and  surmounted  by  a  bronze  lamp. 
Prayer  was  offered  by  the  Eev.  John  Glanville  of 
Kings  wood,  and  one  of  the  hymns  composed  by  Mr. 
Montgomery  was  sung  by  the  congTcgation.  The 
chairman  then  addressed  the  assembly  as  follows : — 


2o8    SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

"  I  believe  the  present  meeting  is  assembled  to  jiraise  God,  and 
tliat  praise  will  constitute  the  greater  part  of  our  employment  this 
evening.  Wo  arc  also  assembled  for  an  object  which  must  be  fa- 
miliar to  most  of  our  friends  who  are  at  all  conversant  with  profane 
history.  "We  know  that  the  setting  up  of  pillars  and  obelisks  was 
very  common  in  ancient  times  ;  and  so  early  did  the  practice  obtain 
in  the  world,  that  the  period  when  the  pyramids  of  Egypt  and 
others  were  set  up  has  been  the  subject  of  dispute  .among  historians ; 
and,  to  the  present  day,  there  is  a  difficulty,  if  not  an  impossibility, 
of  ascertaining  how  early  the  setting  up  of  pillars  might  have  be- 
gun in  the  profane  world.  We  see  them  also  in  use  in  our  own 
time.  We  have  our  Wellington  pillars  and  our  Nelson  pillars,  and 
our  obelisks,  and  the  crosses  which  we  see  at  the  roadside ;  and  vo- 
tive altars  which  are  discovered  in  digging  foundations  for  build- 
ings in  this  neighborhood,  show  us  that  the  custom  is  ancient,  and 
perhaps  laudable. 

"  But  these  trophies,  these  obelisks,  these  pillars,  were  raised  for 
inortal  heroes,  to  perpetuate  the  fame  of  those  whose  glory  was  in 
the  field  of  battle,  who  carried  carnage,  with  garments  rolled  in 
blood,  through  the  world.  They  have  been  crowned  indeed  with 
the  emblems  of  victory ;  but  the  victory  has  been  attended  with 
the  sighs,  the  mourning,  and  the  tears  of  widows  and  orphans.  We 
are,  however,  assembled  this  evening  to  set  up  other  pillars.  We 
have  a  higher  and  a  brighter  object.  We  have  to-night  to  set  up 
peaceful  emblems, — to  follow  examples  recorded  in  the  Scriptures 
as  our  authority  for  what  we  arc  about  to  do.  I  am  sure  that  most 
of  those  who  hear  me  now  are  familiar  with  some  of  the  first  pillars 
which  were  set  up,  such  as  that  erected  by  Jacob  on  his  journey  to 
Padauaram.  The  pillar  which  he  there  set  up  produced  an  awful 
impression  upon  his  mind,  which  constrained  him  to  say,  (and  may 
we  now  and  at  all  times,  when  we  enter  this  sacred  house,  entertain 
similar  feelings,) — '  How  awful  is  this  place!  This  is  none  other 
but  the  house  of  God,  and  the  gate  of  heaven.'  A  little  of  this  feel- 
ing to-night,  amidst  all  our  joy  and  all  our  praise,  will  not  be  either 
inconvenient  or  inconsistent. 

"There  are  other  accounts  in  the  Scriptures  recording  similar 
occuirenees,  such  as  the  setting  up  of  the  twelve  pillars  by  Moses 
in  tlic  wilderness.  But  there  is  a  pillar  spoken  of  in  the  Apoca- 
lypse which  we  all  should  think  of;  that  is  the  pillar  which  is  to 
be  in  heaven;  the  pillar  that  is  to  bear  the  temple  there ;  the  pillar 
that  is  to  bear  the  inscription  of  the  Christian's  name,  and  be  placed 


SUPPLEMENT   TO   THE   AUTOJilOGRAPnY.        239 

in  that  city  whence  they  shall  no  more  go  out.  Oh!  let  us  be  more 
emulous  than  ever,  th££t  we  may  become  the  pillar  that  St.  John 
saw  in  the  temple,  and  that  our  names  may  be  written  upon  it." 

Eesolutions  were  then  passed  recording  the  events 
celebrated,  and  expressing  the  gratitude  of  the  assem- 
bly for  the  successful  and  happy  pastorate  of  the  Eev. 
W.  Jay  through  fifty  years. 

The  speakers  were  the  Kev.  T.  East  of  Birmingham, 
the  Eev,  W.  Bunting  of  Manchester,  the  Eev.  T. 
Haynes  of  Bristol,  the  Eev.  S.  Nichols,  &c. 

The  younger  members  of  the  congregation  having 
determined  to  take  part  in  the  celebration,  presented 
their  minister  with  a  handsome  gold  medal  and  a  sil- 
ver salver.  On  one  side  the  medal  presents  a  likeness 
of  Mr.  Jay,  with  the  following  inscription : — 

"  The  Kev.  Wruiua  Jay  completed  a  Pastorate  of  Fifty  Years, 
January  30,  1841," 

The  reverse  shows  the  front  elevation  of  Argyle 
Chapel,  with  the  inscription : — 

"Argyle  Chapel,  Bath,  Erected  1*789. 
First  Enlargement,  1804. 
Second  Enlargement,  1821. 

The  salver  bears  the  following  inscription: — 

"  The  juvenile  members  of  the  church  and  congregation  of  Ar- 
gyle Chapel  present  this  salver,  bearing  a  gold  medal,  commemora- 
tlve  of  the  event,  as  a  ti'ibute  of  affection  to  their  highly-esteemed 
pastor,  the  Rev.  William  Jay,  on  the  completion  of  the  jubilee  of 
liis  ministerial  labors,  with  the  sincere  hope  that  he  may  long  be 
spared  to  them  as  their  shepherd. — Bath,  30th  Jan.,  1841." 

This  testimonial  was  presented  by  a  deputation  of 


240        SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGKAPHY. 

the  young  people,  headed  by  Mr,  King  and  Mr.  Fini- 
gan.  Mr.  Jay  then  ascended  the  pulpit,  and  addressed 
his  young  friends  as  follows  : — 

'•  I  feel  more  at  home  here,  though  not  entirely  so,  amidst  these 
peculiarities.  Mr.  Chairman  and  my  dear  young  friends, — I  little 
imagined  I  should  have  been  called  upon  for  a  second  address  on 
this  occasion.  I  feel  entirely  exhausted,  not  by  exertion,  but  by 
emotion  ;  for  who  ever  endured  such  a  persecution  of  kindness,  and 
friendship,  and  honor,  as  I  have  endured  this  morning  and  evening? 

"  And  yet  I  cannot  complain  of  being  called  to  this  service.  Yea, 
I  ought  to  feel  gratified  and  grateful  in  no  ordinary  degree.  The 
token  I  have  novr  received  is  enhanced  and  endeared  by  the  very 
quarter  from  whence  it  comes.  For  the  young  are  the  hopes  of  our 
families,  and  of  our  churches,  and  of  our  country.  On  them  we  de- 
pend to  fill  all  the  sacred  and  civil  departments  in  the  community; 
for  one  generation  passeth  away,  and  another  cometh,  and  none  is 
suffered  to  coutiniie  by  reason  of  death.  But,  O,  could  we  see  a 
larger  number  of  the  rising  race  coming  forward  as  a  seed  to  serve 
the  Redeemer,  who  shall  be  accounted  to  him  for  a  generation  : — 
how  would  this  gently  loosen  the  cords  of  life,  and  enable  us  to  say, 
'Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  according  to 
thy  word ;  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation.'  My  dear  young 
friends, — what  a  privilege — for  I  will  not  refer  to  it  as  a  duty  now 
— -vf^iSii  &  privilege  is  early  piety  !  hence  the  language  of  Solomon 
which  we  so  often  quote,  '  I  love  them  that  love  me,  and  they  that 
seek  me  early  shall  find  me  ;'  and  which  has  so  frequently  adorned 
an  early  tomb.  All  that  seek  shall  find.  The  force  of  this  promise, 
therefore,  must  be  considered  comparatively.  All  alike  find,  but 
all  do  not  find  alike.  Is  there  no  difference  between  your  finding 
Him  now  in  the  beginning  of  your  journey,  to  guide  you  safely  for- 
ward, and  finding  Ilira  after  wandering  in  wrong  roads,  and  after 
being  robbed  and  wounded  by  thieves,  and  having  your  strength 
worn  out,  and  the  shadows  of  the  evening  falling  upon  you  ?  Is 
there  no  difference,  my  young  friends,  between  finding  Ilim  in  the 
loveliness  and  cheerfulness  of  life,  and  finding  Ilim  '  when  the  daj's 
and  the  years  draw  near  wherein  ye  will  sa}-,  Ave  have  no  pleasure 
in  them'  i  Ko  difference  lietween  j'our  finding  Ilim  in  the  liealth 
of  your  countenance  and  the  vigor  of  your  strength,  and  finding 
Him  only  when  your  boius  will  be  filled  with  the  sins  of  your  youtli. 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         2-il 

which  lie  down  with  you  in  the  grave  ?  No,  none  find  Him  like  those 
that  seek  Him  early.  None  find  such  peculiar  acceptance  with 
Him,  none  derive  such  distinguished  privileges  from  Him.  A  thou- 
sand satisfactions  and  advantages  are  wanting  in  a  late  conversion 
which  adorn  and  bless  an  earlier  one.  Take  an  old  man ;  his  eon- 
version  is  of  importance  to  himself;  but  what  is  it  to  others?  His 
conversion  secures  him  for  eternity,  but  it  is  attended  with  no  use- 
fulness in  life.  He  runs  no  race ;  he  accomplishes  no  warfare  ;  he 
gains  no  laurels ;  glorifies  not  God  in  his  body  and  spirit ;  nor 
serves  his  generation  according  to  the  will  of  God. 

"  There  is  a  proverb  which  you,  perhaps,  may  have  met  with, 
which  says,  'Young  saints  prove  old  devils.'  I  would  rather  reverse 
this,  and  say,  that  young  saints  often  prove  old  angels.  Read  through 
the  Scriptures ;  notice  the  history  of  Joseph,  and  Samuel,  and  David, 
and  Daniel,  and  John,  and  Timothy,  Read  through  the  history  of 
our  godly  ancestors.  Remember  the  language  of  Beza  in  his  will : 
'  Lord,'  says  he,  '  I  thank  thee  that  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen  I  was 
enabled  to  dedicate  myseK  to  thy  service.'  Here  .the  speaker  could 
refer  to  his  own  experience,  and  perhaps  it  would  not  be  improper 
on  this  occasion.  My  young  friends,  if  he  had  not  been  cut  off  in 
the  midst  of  his  days,  what  a  different  figure  would  he  have  made 
at  this  time,  had  he  been  the  victim  of  youthful  vices !  And  I  am 
persuaded  there  is  not  a  Christian  here  who  is  not,  next  to  the  sal- 
vation of  his  soul,  more  grateful  for  an  early  consecration  to  the 
service  and  glory  of  God. 

"Now  I  presume  that  many  of  our  young  friends,  who  have  joined 
in  the  testimony  of  respect,  are  already  walking  in  the  truth,  and  I 
can  have  no  greater  joy  than  to  see  this.  But  I  hope  this  will  be 
the  case  with  all  who  have  joined  in  this  token,  of  respect.  Oh,  my 
young  friends,  it  would  be  sad,  it  would  be  dreadful,  for  any  of  you, 
after  having  come  forward  thus  to  honor  your  minister  now,  to 
constrain  him  hereafter,  on  a  more  public  occasion,  to  condemn  you 
— to  say.  Lord,  they  are  guilty :  Lord,  they  have  destroyed  them- 
selves. I  instructed  them  ;  I  warned  them ;  I  invited  them  ;  I  be- 
sought them  with  tears  to  come  imto  Thee.  But  they  turned  away 
fi'om  him  that  speaketh  from  heaven ;  they  neglected  so  great  salva- 
tion ;  they  rejected  the  counsel  of  God  against  themselves.  But  I 
hope  better  things  of  you,  and  things  that  accompany  salvation, 
though  I  thus  speak.  And,  O  my  young  friends,  who  have  thus 
favored  me,  could  I  take  many  of  you  by  the  hand  aud  lead  you  to 
the  table  of  the  Lord,  it  would  afford  me  much  more  delight  than 

11 


242        SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

the  reception  of  this  medal.  And  yet  I  do  not  undervalue  this  pres 
ent ;  yea,  I  prize  it,  not  only  for  the  exquisite  beauty  of  the  work- 
mansliip,  but  for  the  sake  of  those  who  have  presented  it.  It  will 
remind  me  of  you,  my  young  friends,  and  lead  nie  to  remember  you, 
too,  for  good. 

"  This  medal,  you  are  aware,  cannot  long  remain  in  my  possess- 
ion ;  but  it  will,  as  our  chairman  has  remarked,  serve  as  an  heir- 
loom in  my  family  ;  so  that  my  children  and  my  children's  children, 
when  they  look  upon  it,  may  prize  it,  and  remember  how  long  their 
father  labored  within  these  walls,  and  how  God  smiled  upon  him, 
and  was  pleased  to  favor  him  to  the  last. 

"Here  are  two  pillars  erected.  Delicacy  and  my  feelings  will 
not  allow  me  to  refer  to  them.  Indeed,  the  allusion  would  be  un- 
necessary after  the  remarks  which  have  been  made  by  our  chair- 
man. But  remember  they  are  memorials.  One  of  them  is  a  memo- 
rial of  my  predecessor ;  tlie  other,  after  awhile,  will  be  a  memorial 
of  myself.  0  then  may  1  be  enjoying  llini  above,  while  you  are 
zealously  serving  Ilim  below  ;  and  at  last  may  we  all  unite  in  that 
blessed  world  where  adieus  and  farewells  will  be  a  sound  unknown! 
'  O  God,  let  thy  work  appear  unto  thy  servants,  and  thy  glory  unto 
their  children  ;  and  let  the  beauty  of  the  Lord  our  God  be  upon  us, 
and  establish  Thou  the  work  of  our  hands  upon  us  ;  yea,  the  work 
of  our  hands  establish  Thou  it.'     Amen." 

The  Kev.  D.  Wassell  of  Bath  then  gave  out  one  of 
Mr.  Montgomery's  hymns,  and  the  Rev.  W.  Lucy  of 
Bristol  pronounced  the  usual  benediction.  The  chair- 
man then  dismissed  the  assembly. 

We  subjoin  the  hymns  composed  for  this  interesting 
occasion  by  James  Montgomery,  Esq. : — 

A  blessing  on  our  Pastor's  head, 

Lord  God,  we  fervently  implore ; 
On  him,  this  day,  a  blessing  shed. 

For  life,  for  death,  for  evermore. 

Tor  all  tliat  Thou  in  him  hast  wrought, 

For  all  that  Thou  by  him  hast  done. 
Our  warmest,  purest  thanks  ne  brought, 

Through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord,  thy  Sou. 


SUPPLEMENT   TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         243 

To  Thee  he  gav«  his  flower  of  youth, 
To  Thee  his  manhood's  fruit  he  gave ; 

The  herald  of  life-giving  truth, 

Dead  souls  from  deathless  death  to  save. 

Forsake  him  not  in  his  old  age. 
But  while  his  Master's  cross  he  bears, 

Faith  be  his  staff  on  pilgrimage, 
A  crown  of  glory  his  gray  hairs. 

With  holier  zeal  his  heart  enlarge. 

Though  strength  decline,  and  sight  grow  dim^ 

While  we,  the  people  of  his  charge. 

Still  glorify  Thy  grace  in  him. 
\ 

So,  when  his  warfare  here  shall  cease. 

By  suffering  perfected  in  love. 
His  ransomed  soul  shall  join  in  peace 

The  church  of  the  first-born  above. 

HYMN  II. 

Hallelujah  !  heart  and  voice. 

Yielding  all  the  praise  to  Thee, 
Lord,  the  flock  would  now  rejoice 

In  the  Pastor's  jubilee. 

Hallelujah !  heart  and  voice. 

When  the  day  of  God  they  see. 
All  Christ's  sheep  will  thus  rejoice. 

On  His  own  grand  jubilee. 

Hallelujah!  heart  and  voice, 

There  in  heaven  one  fold  shall  be. 
And  one  Shepherd, — to  rejoice 

In  eternal  jubilee. 

The  following  letter  from  Mr.  Montgomery,  address- 
ed to  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee,  H.  Godwin,  Esq., 
will  appropriately  conclude  this  account  of  the  Jubi- 
lee Celebration : — 


2-1-i        SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

TiiK  Mount,  Sheffield,  Feb.  9th,  1841. 

Dear  Friend, — Accept  my  best  thanks  for  your  packet  and  the 
accompanying  newspaper,  ■which  duly  arrived  on  Saturday.  I  do 
heartily  congratulate  you  and  your  brethren,  as  well  as  your  ven- 
erable pastor  and  his  partner,  on  the  happy  celebration  of  his  jubi- 
lee anniversary  in  Bath.  I  have  read  the  proceedings  both  of  t  ^e 
Sabbath  and  the  Tuesday  following  with  great  delight ;  for  yet, 
amidst  all  the  strife,  envj%  and  uncharitablcness  in  churches,  and 
between  churches,  so  flagrant  at  this  time,  you  have  shown  that 
there  are  occasions,  and  there  may  be  found  professors,  when  and 
of  whom  even  an  ungodly  world  can  say,  reverence  touching  their 
hearts,  and  softening  their  tongues,  while  they  utter  the  words — 
"See  how  these  Christians  love  one  another!"  Alasl  how  seldom 
is  this  exemplified.  The  record  of  your  festival,  however,  will  be 
hailed  throughout  the  country,  and  perhaps  through  all  Christen- 
dom, as  a  blessed  evidence  of  a  Philadelphian  spirit  yet  living  and 
breathing  in  a  Laodicean  age,  when  the  suspended  animation  of 
lukewarniness  is  only  disturbed  by  the  hallucinations  of  that  vain- 
boasting  which  says,  "  I  am  rich  and  increased  with  goods,  and  have 
need  of  nothing,"  when — you  know  where  to  look  for  the  sequel, 
and  what  that  is.  "For  the  divisions  of  Reuben  there  were  great 
thoughts  of  heart,"  says  Deborah  in  her  song,  and  she  doubles  the 
burthen  of  her  lamentations  by  adding,  "  For  the  divisions  of  Reuben 
there  were  searchings  of  heart."  In  the  multitude  of  our  thoughts 
within  us,  on  our  unhappy  divisions,  personal,  domestic,  and  denom- 
inational, as  Christians,  may  there  be  great  searchings  of  our  hearts, 
and  trying  of  our  ways,  that  we  may  turn  again  to  the  Lord,  and 
to  OUT  first  love,  if  we  ever  loved  at  all;  for  assuredly  there  is  an 
awful  apostasy  from  this,  among  and  between  every  section  of  the 
catholic  church  in  this  land, — and  the  plague  has  extended  its  bale- 
ful influence  even  into  the  fields  of  missionary  labors.  But  I  must 
forbear, — the  digression  has  not  been  wilful,  but  I  was  drawn  into 
it  insensibly  from  feeling  that  the  scene  of  holy  harmony  at  Bath 
ought  not  to  have  been  one  of  rare  occurrence,  but  more  or  less  of 
every-day  felicity  among  our  Saviour's  disciples,  when  and  wher- 
ever they  meet  in  Ilis  name  and  He  is  in  the  midst. 

I  thought  much  of  you  on  the  two  days,  especially  on  the  Tues- 
day, when  the  meetings — the  love-feasts  I  ought  to  call  them — were 
held,  because  witli  us  the  weather  was  tempestuous,  and  I  feared  that 
with  you,  if  the  visitation  reached  so  far,  many  of  your  friends  might 
be  disappointed  of  the  "hope  deferred"  which  they  were  already 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         2-15 

cherishing  when  I  was  at  Bath  fourteen  months  ago,  of  being  par- 
takers and  helpers  of  the  joy  of  their  brethren  and  companions  on 
the  expected  jubilee  of  their  venerated  pastor's  ministry  among 
their  fathers  already  called  to  glory,  and  themselves  I  trust  on  their 
way  thither  under  the  staff  and  rod  of  the  Great  Shepherd's  minis- 
try to  the  flock  of  God  in  your  neighborhood,  over  which  he  has 
been  so  long  a  watchful  and  faithful  overseer.  It  appears,  however, 
that  whatever  storms  might  rage  without,  there  was  peace  within, 
and  as  many  to  enjoy  it  as  the  rooms  would  contain. 

I  am  greatly  indebted  to  Mrs.  Godwin  for  the  jubilee  medallion 
— the  workmanship  of  which  seems  to  me  admirable,  the  likeness 
of  your  good  pastor  excellent,  and  the  simple  register  of  dates,  on 
either  side,  the  most  appropriate  of  inscriptions  in  such  a  case.  It 
was  a  beautiful  and  affecting  sequel  to  the  solemnities  of  the  Sab- 
bath, and  the  festivities  of  the  breakfast  on  Tuesday,  that  the  chil- 
dren and  the  youth  were  allowed  to  bring  their  offerings  of  grati- 
tude and  love  to  the  father  in  the  Gospel  of  both  old  and  young  in 
your  church  and  congregation.  I  have  only  to  add  my  heart's  de- 
sire and  prayer  to  God  for  you  all,  that  every  one  of  the  number  of 
those  who  participated  in  the  privileges  of  those  two  memorable 
days,  may  be  finally  associated  in  that  place  where,  a  thousand  and 
ten  thousand  ages  hence,  each  may  remember  with  adoring  grati- 
tude the  blessedness  of  those  meetings  on  earth,  which  many  of  you 
no  doubt  felt  to  be  an  earnest  and  foretaste  of  the  glory  and  felici- 
ties of  that  house  of  God  eternal  in  the  heavens, 

"  Where  congregations  ne'er  break  up. 
And  Sabbaths  have  no  end." 
*  *  *  *  *  » 

I  am  your  obliged  friend  and  servant, 

J.  Montgomery. 

A  few  days  after  this  commemorative  service,  tlie 
Committee  of  tlie  Bath  Auxiliary  Bible  Society  pass- 
ed the  following  resolution  at  a  very  full  meeting  by 
an  unanimous  vote  : — 

"That  this  Committee,  participating  in  the  prevalent  disposition 
of  the  Christian  public  to  glorify  God  in  the  long  course  of  consist- 
ent piety  and  extensive  usefulness  maintained  for  half  a  century  in 
this  city  by  the  Rev.  W.  Jay,  and  fully  appreciating  the  value  of 


246        SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

liis  unwavering  attachment  to  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society, 
from  its  earliest  formation— do  appoint  a  deputation  to  wait  upon 
him,  aud  request  his  acceptance  of  the  office  of  a  vice-president  of 
the  Bath  Auxiliary." 

The  deputation  consisted  of  tlie  Rev.  Jolm  East,  the 
mover  of  the  resolution,  W.  T.  Blair,  R.  rerfect,  and 
W.  Suteliffe,  Esqs.  The  interview  was  of  the  most 
cordial  and  pleasing  description.  Mr.  Jay  accepted 
the  honor,  and  his  name  henceforward  was  placed  on 
the  list  of  vice-presidents  of  the  Bath  Auxiliary. 

In  the  year  1845  Mr.  Jay  experienced  a  severe  trial 
in  the  death  of  Mrs.  Jay.  She  expired,  October  14  of 
this  year,  in  the  79th  of  her  age.  From  the  time  of 
her  first  seizure,  which  Mr.  Jay  has  sufficiently  de- 
scribed in  his  twelfth  letter,  and  which  took  place  in 
the  year  1830,  she  never  recovered  the  full  use  of  hei 
faculties,  and,  as  age  produced  greater  weakness,  she 
gradually  sank  under  the  power  of  disease,  so  that  at 
length  it  became  impossible  to  hold  intelligent  conver- 
sation with  her.  She  continued,  however,  to  attend 
the  public  service  through  a  great  part  of  her  aiiliction, 
but  it  was  doubtful  whether  she  understood  anything. 
She  seemed  sometimes  to  recognize  the  persons  of 
those  about  her,  but  generally  reversed  everything, 
calling  a  son  a  daughter,  and  a  daughter  a  son.  With 
much  confusion  of  memory  she  would  speak  of  things 
which  took  place  long  before  her  illness.  Even  as 
early  as  the  year  1834  Mr.  Jay  said  in  a  letter  to  Mrs. 
Bolton  that  her  mother  was  often  very  low  on  her  ac- 
count, and  adds,  "  You  will  suppose  I  have  no  little 
engagement  in  attending  to  her  in  her  advancing  in- 
firmities, and  her  almost  total  absence  of  employment 
and  amusement."     Again,  in  a  letter  written  in  1837 


SUPPLEMENT   TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.        247 

to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bolton,  then  in  America,  lie  says, 
"Your  dear  mother  grows  feebler  with  years.  I  think 
also  she  gets  blunter  in  apprehension  and  more  per- 
plexed in  speech."  In  April,  1840,  speaking  of  other 
members  of  his  family,  he  says,  "  They  have,  more 
leisure  and  opportunity  than  I  have,  with  so  many 
things  pressing  upon  me  alone,  which  your  precious 
mother  formerly  divided  with  me,  or,  rather,  entirely 
took  from  me."  In  October,  1841,  he  says,  "  Your  in- 
valuable mother  gets  very  feeble,  and  a  short  walk 
soon  fatigues  her,  and  she  is  no  stranger  to  lowness, 
especially  in  thinking  of  death.  This  is,  I  believe,  a 
frequent  case  with  those  who  are  best  prepared  for  it. 
But  she  does  not  and  cannot  complain  of  any  want  of 
esteem,  and  love,  and  attention,  even  to  devotedness, 
from  all  that  are  about  her,  and,  with  regard  to  my- 
self, she  seems  to  get  dearer  every  day." 

Some  months  after  her  decease,  he  expressed  him- 
self thus  : — "  There  is  not  a  day,  nor  hardly  an  hour, 
in  which  I  do  not  think  of  your  inestimable  mother  ; 
and  though  she  was  getting  increasingly  helpless,  yet 
still  I  had  her,  and  delighted  to  attend  her.  I  now 
feel  very  solitary,  and  often  sad,  from  my  social  dispo- 
sition and  long  experience  of  such  a  companion,  and 
as  privations  and  infirmities  are  likely  to  increase." 

To  have  watched  and  attended  her  so  many  years 
under  this  painful  affliction,  and  with  so  much  tender- 
ness and  constancy,  under  his  own  advancing  years, 
must  have  been  a  heavy  burden  and  a  severe  disci- 
pline for  his  heart.  But  his  Christian  excellency  shone 
the  brighter  through  this  dark  domestic  cloud.  At 
length  it  passed  away,  Avhen  her  sorrowful  spirit  was 
emancipated  from  the  bonds  of  mortalit}^,  and  preced- 


248  STPl'LEMENT   TO  THE   AUTOBIOGltAPHV. 

ed  her  beloved  and  faithful  companion  to  the  realms 
of  perfect  and  unending  bliss. 

In  the  following  year  he  wrote  thus  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bolton : — "You  blame  me  for  not  writing,  but  did  you 
know  what  I  have  felt  (jet  how  strange  !)  at  the  thought 
of  writing  since,  as  it  would  necessarily  turn  much 
upon  my  great  afQiction,  you  would  perhaps  blame  me 
less.  I  have  yet  answered  no  one.  I  physically  felt 
the  more  as  other  afflictions  preceded  it ;  and  I  was 
nearly  five  weeks  confined  from  air  and  exercise  by 
my  accident ;  so  that  my  strength  was  lowered,  and 
my  spirits  broken,  when  I  was  called  to  surrender  one 
who  had  been  my  honor,  my  comfort,  my  happiness, 
for  fifty -five  years.  I  need  not  enlarge  upon  her  worth 
to  you.  You  know  I  could  not  say  too  much  of  her 
as  a  daughter,  a  wife,  a  mother,  a  woman,  a  Christian. 

'*  What  a  mild  season  !  My  garden  already  begins 
to  bud  forth.  How  many  rose-trees  do  you  imagine  I 
have  ?  Five  thousand  four  hundred  and  one.  How 
fond  I  get  of  flowers !  I  lately  heard  of  a  pious  fe- 
male, who,  dying,  said,  '  I  am  going  to  a  land  of  peace 
and  flowers.'     Yes — 

'  There  everlasting  spring  abides, 
And  never-withering  flowers.' 

Well !  in  that  happy  region  is  now ,  and  soon 

we  shall  follow\  Oh,  for  grace  while  we  live  to  live 
unto  the  Lord,  and  when  we  die,  '  to  die  unto  the 
Lord!'" 

Referring  to  the  same  topic  in  another  letter,  he 
says,  "  We  rejoice  to  find  that  you  are  so  improved  in 
health,  and  are  looking  forward  with  glowing  hope 
and  pleasure  to  an  interview  in  the  spring — lamenting 


SUPPLEMENT   TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  249 

only  that  time  will  turn  the  visit  into  a  vision.  One 
mighty  loss  you  will  feel  and  deplore,  though  on  her 
account  we  ought  to  be  more  than  resigned — freed  as 
she  is  from  the  burden  of  the  flesh  and  growing  in- 
firmities. There  is  not  a  day  but  I  have  her  variously 
in  remembrance." 

Early  in  the  year  1846  Mr.  Jay  received  a  deeply 
interesting  testimony  of  affectionate  respect  and  grati- 
tude from  one  class  of  his  congregation,  whose  welfare 
both  for  this  life  and  that  to  come  he  had  often  labor- 
ed to  promote :  these  were  the  female  servants.  They 
united  their  humble  offerings  together,  and  presented 
to  him  a  silver  sugar-basin,  stating  simply  that  it  came 
from  many  attached  female  servants  in  connection  with 
the  church  and  congregation. 

Mr.  Jay's  reply  is  as  follows : — 

"Mr.  Jay  will  thank  Mary  Rogers  to  communicate  to  the  kind 
domestics,  who  with  herself  have  testified  their  regard  by  present- 
ing him  with  a  piece  of  plate  ; — First,  that  he  is  much  pleased  with 
the  utensil  itself,  and  admires  its  form  and  simple  elegance.  Sec- 
ondly, that  he  much  values  it  as  to  the  quarter  from  which  it 
comes.  From  no  class  of  his  hearers  would  it  have  been  so  wel- 
come. He  has,  as  is  well  known,  always  avowed  the  obligations 
we  are  under  to  good  servants,  and  has  always  pleaded  for  their 
rights.  Thirdly,  that  he  is  peculiarly  thankful,  that,  while  they 
afford  him  this  token  of  their  esteem,  they  also  acknowledge  their 
having  derived  spiritual  benefit  from  his  labors,  and  that  he  has 
not  preached  among  them  in  vain. 

"  He  prays  and  hopes  that  his  services  may  continue  to  be  ac- 
ceptable and  profitable;  and  that  they  who  have  contributed  to 
*  this  work  and  labor  of  love,'  may  unceasingly  '  serve  the  Lord 
Christ ;'  and  at  last  hear  from  our  one  Master  in  heaven,  '  Well  done, 
good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord.' 

"  '  Honor  and  shame  from  no  condition  rise : 
Act  well  your  part — there  all  the  honor  lies.' 
11* 


250         SUPPLEMENT   TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPUY. 

"  He  jow  desires  each  of  the  servants  to  accept  one  of  his  piibli- 
cations,  inscribed  with  their  names  and  with  his  own.  This  will 
aid  their  lenioinhrance  of  him,  when  the  lips  upon  whicli  they  now 
hang  will  he  silent  in  the  grave,  and  by  this,  lie  '  being  dead,'  may 
yet  be  speaking. 

"  He  gladly  subscribes  himself  their  grateful  and  affectionate 
Pastor, 

"William  Jat. 

"  Bath,  Jan.  1,  1846." 

Mary  Rogers  is  still  living,  and  mourning  the  loss 
of  her  beloved  master  and  i)astor.  She  was  an  ancient 
and  most  valuable  servant  in  his  family. 

Mr.  Jay  some  years  since  preached  a  funeral  sermon 
for  a  female  servant ;  upon  \vhicli  occasion  he  observed, 
that  there  were  two  things  which  caused  religious  ser- 
vants to  be  too  generally  disliked.  The  first  was  their 
fondness  for  religious  gossiping,  or  cronyism,  which 
made  them  regardless  of  their  time,  &c.  And,  second- 
ly, their  aptness  to  carry  their  equality  as  Christians 
into  their  secular  stations,  and  to  use  an  unbecoming 
familiarity,  instead  of  a  dutitul  respect,  to  tlicir  masters 
and  mistresses. 

In  the  year  1846,  Mr.  Jay  having  been  for  some 
time  a  widower,  and  having  all  his  children  removed 
to  a  distance  from  him,  deemed  it  desirable  to  change 
his  state.  He  chose  as  his  future  partner  Miss  Head, 
an  excellent  and  pious  lad}',  with  whose  parents  he 
had  early  bcconic  acquainted  through  the  introduction 
of  his  friend  and  tutor  Mr.  Winter,  who  was  much  at- 
tached to  them  on  account  of  their  Christian  zeal  and 
liberalit}-.  Mr.  Jay  preached  the  funeral  sermon  for 
Mrs.  Head.  Miss  Head  was  the  last  surviving  mem- 
ber of  this  family,  and  the  marriage  which  took  place 
was  not  only  with  the  entire  approbation  of  all  Mr. 


SUPPLEMENT   TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  251 

Jay's  family,  but  appeared  to  them,  as  well  as  to  him- 
self, kindly  ordered  in  Providence  to  promote  the 
comfort  of  his  latter  days.  He  always  referred  to  it 
with  the  liveliest  gratitude  to  God.  The  ceremony 
was  performed  September  2, 1846,  at  the  Congregation- 
al chapel,  Worthing,  Sussex. 

In  the  year  1847,  Mr.  Jay  proposed  to  obtain  per- 
manent assistance  in  his  ministerial  labors  ;  and,  with 
a  view  to  such  an  arrangement,  Mr.  E.  A.  Yaughan 
preached  for  a  period  of  three  months  with  much  ac- 
ceptance. At  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  received 
a  unanimous  invitation  to  become  assistant-minister  at 
Argyle  Chapel.  He  accepted  the  invitation,  and  en- 
tered upon  his  stated  duties  in  April,  1848,  and  con- 
tinued to  discharge  them  till  March,  1850,  when  he 
resigned  and  removed  to  Birmingham.  In  the  autumn 
of  this  year  Mr.  Jay  wrote  thus  : — 

"I  cannot  do  things  so  quickly  and  easily  as  I  once  could,  and 
feel  a  growing  reluctance  to  exertion.  I  must,  therefore,  be  judged 
of,  not  by  my  fornaer  but  present  self,  as  going  on  for  eighty-two, 
and  feeling  in  a  degree  Solomon's  description, — '  the  grasshopper  is 
a  burden,'  and  desire  fails.  Yet  I  do  what  I  can  in  my  own  old 
work ;  and,  I  assure  you,  friends  arc  not  disposed  to  spare  me.  We 
are  yet  at  sea  with  regard  to  an  assistant ;  but  I  hope  the  Lord  will 
provid€^  as  I  's^ant  to  effect  a  settlement  and  retire." 

Towards  the  end  of  the  year  1851  he  expressed  his 
sense  of  growing  infirmity  and  anticipation  of  the 
coming  trial  in  his  own  peculiar  manner,  thus  : — 

"  As  to  myself,  I  ajn  aa  well  as  I  can  expect  to  be  during  the 
remnant  of  my  advanced  life,  God  has  two  kinds  of  duty  for  us — 
the  active  and  the  passive—^  for  thev  also  serve  that  wait ;'  and  I  ex- 
pect to  find  the  latter  more  trying  than  the  former  ;  but  his  grace 
ja  sr(fficient  for  us," 


252  SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

In  tlie  spring  of  1852  the  Rev.  Dr.  Johns,  rector  of 
Christ  Church,  Baltimore,  paid  a  visit  to  this  countrj, 
and  through  his  acquaintance  with  the  Rev.  R.  Bolton, 
obtained  an  introduction  to  Mr.  Jay,  and  a  temporary 
sojourn  in  his  liouse.  In  a  letter  to  Mr.  Bolton  he 
crives  the  following  interesting  account  of  that  visit: — 

0  o  o 

"  We  arrrived  in  Bath  on  Saturday,  June  26, 1852,  and  were  kindly 
welcomed  by  your  aged  relative,  then,  I  believe,  in  his  eighty-third 
year.  I  can  never  forget  the  sentiments  with  which  his  form  and 
face,  his  dignified  and  easy  manner,  filled  me.  He  was  not  entirely 
well,  however ;  and  having  to  preach  on  the  ensuing  day,  excused 
himself  at  an  early  hour,  saying,  '  I  must  retire  into  the  wilderness. 

1  must  pump  awhile.     You,  in  travelling,  need  not  do  so,  but  I 
must.' 

"  I  asked  him  if  he  was  in  the  habit  of  preaching  from  notes  ? 
'From  catch  words,  on  a  slip  of  paper,'  he  answered  ;  '  but  I  wish  I 
had  never  used  even  these,  for  the  memory  is  like  a  true  friend,  it 
loves  to  be  trusted.'  This  remark  made  a  deep  impression  on  me 
at  the  time,  and  I  resolved  to  treasure  it  for  the  benefit  of  others. 
He  informed  me  that  he  endeavored  to  select  his  text  on  Monday 
morning,  stating  that  by  so  doing  he  could  meditate  upon  it  all  the 
week.  '  But,'  said  he,  '  no  clergyman  ought  to  study  on  Saturday, 
but  should  allow  his  mind  perfect  rest  at  that  time.'  He  approved 
of  formal  divisions  in  sermons,  and  said  his  rule  was  to  have  about 
five.  His  opinion  was  that  they  aided  the  memory  of  the  hearer, 
and  made  the  subject  of  the  sermon  more  open  and  clear.  Referring 
to  the  Calvinistic  sj^stem,  he  said  it  was  a  thing  to  be  held,  not  for- 
mally preached.  His  idea  seemed  to  be  that  it  should  leaven  the 
whole  character  of  the  pastor  and  preacher,  but  not  be  urged  dog- 
matically. 

"  In  a  subsequent  conversation,  he  alluded  to  the  Rev.  John  New- 
ton, with  whom  he  had  been  intimately  acquainted,  and  spoke  of 
him  with  all  tlie  warmth  of  an  early  friendship,  and  observed  that 
he  surpassed  all  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  he  had  ever  known,  in 
the  variety  and  solidity  of  his  qualifications  for  the  sacred  oflSee. 
Alluding  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Romaine,  he  observed  that  he  was  a  good 
man,  but  a  high  churchman.  Mr.  Romaine,  he  went  on  to  say,  once 
romai'ked  to  him,  that  at  the  beginning  of  his  ministry  he  could  only 


SUPPLEMENT   TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         253 

count  fifty  evangelical  clergy  in  the  Establishment,  but  that  he  could 
then  name  five  hundred. 

"  Referring  to  the  present  prospects  of  the  English  church,  he 
freely  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  the  evangelical  clergy  would  carry 
the  day,  as  they  were  not  only  increasing  more  rapidly  than  the 
opposite  class,  but  were  more  active  and  enterprising.  He  said 
that  when  he  first  came  to  Bath,  sixty  years  ago,  there  was  scarcely 
a  clergyman  in  the  Established  Church  there  who  preached  the  gos- 
pel. 'Ifow,' says  he,  'there  are  few  here  who  do  not  preach  it.' 
He  alluded  in  terms  of  deep  regret  to  the  disposition  evinced  bv 
many  of  the  evangelical  clergy  to  withdraw  from  the  free  and  at- 
fectionate  associations  which  they  formerly  cultivated  with  the  dis- 
senting ministers.  Ho  said,  he  thought  he  noticed  a  change  in  this 
matter,  and  noticed  it  with  sorrow,  and  appeared  to  think  both 
would  be  losers  by  it.  I  informed  him  the  same  thing  was  true  of 
the  United  States,  and  that  we  mourned  over  it. 

"  On  Sunday,  June  27th,  I  heard  Mr.  Jay  preach  in  the  morning 
in  Argyle  Chapel.  His  text  was.  Psalm  cxix.  v.  1*7 :  '  Hold  thou  me 
up,  and  I  shall  be  safe.'  The  passage  had  been  sent  to  him  by  a 
friend,  with  a  request  that  he  would  preach  from  it.  He  made  it 
the  basis  of  an  examination  of  the  question, — When  may  the  Chris- 
tian be  said  to  be  in  a  safe  state  ?  or  rather,  What  may  be  considered 
a  safe  state  ?  His  heads  of  discourse  were  something  like  the  fol" 
lowing : — 

"  1.  When  the  person  is  under  the  influence  of  a  deep  concern  for 
his  spiritual  welfare. 

"  2.  A  sound  conviction  of  the  exposure  to  which  the  soul  is  ever 
subjected  in  its  journey  through  this  world. 

"  3.  An  abiding  conviction  of  our  liability  to  spiritual  injury  aris- 
ing from  our  weakness. 

"  4.  An  unfailing  confidence  in  the  faithfulness  and  ability  of 
God  our  Saviour  to  make  and  keep  us  safe. 

"  5.  A  spirit  of  earnest  prayer  and  a  devout  reliance  through  it 
upon  God- 

"Mr.  Jay's  manner  was  calm,  and  his  voice  clear  and  distinct. 
His  object  seemed  to  be  to  show  the  sinner's  weakness  on  the  one 
hand,  and  his  safety  on  the  other;  and  these  points,  sustained  from 
Scripture,  were  also  illustrated  by  one  or  two  quaint  but  very  for- 
cible anecdotes.  Xo  one  but  a  person  of  his  age  could  have  iised 
them  with  advantage ;  but  with  his  peculiar  manner  they  told 
with  great  effect  upon  the  audience,  reminding  me  of  Bishop  Lat- 


254         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

imer's  favorite  style.  I  have  never  lieard  more  of  the  gospel  in 
11  sintile  sermon  ;  and  in  reply  to  the  inquiries  of  American  friends, 
as  to  whose  preaching  I  liked  best  of  all  1  heard  while  in  England 
and  Scotland,  my  answer  has  imiformly  been,  'The  old  preacher 
at  Bath,  whom  j'oii  all  know  as  the  author  of  the  "  Morning  and 
Evening  Exercises." '  His  sermon  was  full  of  Christ,  discrimina 
ting  and  searching,  while  in  point  of  style  I  did  not  notice  a  sen^ 
tence  'out  of  joint,'  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  and  it  was  an 
hour  in  delivery. 

"On  the  ensuing  Monday  morning,  as  we  were  gathered  around 
the  breakfast  table  in  the  library  room,  good,  kind  Mrs.  Jay  presid- 
ing, and  by  her  gentle  hospitality  making  the  stranger  feel  as  if  he 
wei-e  at  home,  instead  of  3,000  miles  from  it,  an  incident  occurred 
which  I  noticed  with  pleasure.  He  inquired  of  his  nieeo,  Miss  Jaj', 
if  she  recollected  the  text  of  a  sermon  she  had  heard  at  Ventnor  the 
previous  week,  and  he  continued  to  inquire  iintil  the  young  lady 
gave  it  to  him.  I  suspect  it  was  his  custom  with  the  young,  and 
was  designed  to  show  his  desire  that  they  should  retain  what  they 
had  heard.  Few  opportunities  of  doing  good  to  souls  around  him 
were  allowed  to  pass  unimproved ;  and  yet  so  cheerful,  and  at  times 
even  playful,  was  his  manner,  that  there  was  nothing  morose  or  for- 
bidding about  him,  or  calculated  to  do  other  than  attract  even  the 
youngest. 

"I  cannot  omit  speaking  of  his  remarkable  soletnnity  in  conduct- 
ing family  worship,  lie  read  the  Scri[)turGS  with  an  emphasis,  and 
expounded  as  he  passed  on  ;  whilst  in  tiic  jirayer  he  seemed  to  carry 
all  along  with  him.  I  do  not  think  theio  were  any  with  us  who 
could  have  been  much  troubled  with  Avandering  thoughts.  He 
seemed  to  chain  each  heart  to  his  own,  and  to  draw  the  whole  to 
the  Saviour's  feet.  His  accents  appear,  even  now,  almost  to  sound 
in  my  ears,  as  I  revert  to  those  sweet  and  blessed  moments. 

"  Conversing  with  Mr.  Jay  seemed  like  speaking  with  a  past  age. 
He  had  seen,  and  known,  and  heard  nearly  all  the  distinguished 
men  in  both  Church  and  State,  for  more  than  sixty  years ;  and  as 
liis  memory  was  fresh,  in  reference  to  early  incidents,  he  described 
Whitfield  and  his  contemporaries,  with  the  leaders  in  Parliament, 
and  in  all  the  important  movements  of  benevolence,  with  a  minute- 
ness and  graphic  power  that  no  studied  writer  could  well  give  to 
them.  How  few  have  lived  so  long,  and  lived  through  an  age  so 
abundant  in  events  so  deeply  interesting  to  the  Christian  ?  As  I 
gazed  upon  this  venerable  mar   and  thought  of  his  long-extended 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  255 

labors,  both  in  the  pulpit  and  through  the  press,  and  then  antici- 
pated what  has  since  occurred,  his  entrance  to  our  Master's  presence 
above,  I  could  scarcely  contain  my  emotions.  God  be  praised  for 
such  a  life ;  yet  when  removed  from  earth,  wliat  a  blank  is  left ! 
Be  it  ours,  my  dear  brother,  to  follow  him  as  he  followed  Christ, 
and  to  strive  to  imitate  hia  meekness  and  fidelity,  his  love  of  souls, 
and  his  enlarged  interest  in  the  cause  of  Christ. 

"  Truly  and  affectionately,  your  friend  and  brother, 
"To  the  Rev.  R.  Bolton.  Henry  V.  D.  Johns." 

On  Lord's-day  morning,  July  25,  1852,  Mr.  Jaj 
preaclied  what  proved  to  be,  though  unexpected  at 
the  time,  his  last  sermon,  in  Argyle  Chapel,  from  the 
text,  Ps.  Ixiu.  1,  2  :  "0  God,  thou  art  my  God  ;  early 
will  I  seek  thee,  my  soul  thirsteth  for  thee.  My  flesh 
longeth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land  where  no 
water  is :  to  see  thy  power  and  thy  glory  so  as  I  have 
seen  thee  in  the  sanctuary."  The  preacher  was  in  his 
usual  health,  and  none  who  heard  him  supposed  they 
were  hstening  to  his  last  address  from  that  pulpit.  A 
few  of  the  closing  sentences  we  insert  as  a  beautiful 
specimen  of  the  interesting  and  impressive  manner 
in.  which  he  terminated  his  faithful  testimony  to  his 
people  : — 

"But  I  dare  say  you  think  it  is  time  for  me  to  conclude,  and  my 
age  and  weakness  tell  me  the  same.  I  therefore  hasten  to  a  close, 
by  observing  one  thing  only  ;  that  is,  experience  is  both  alarming 
and  encouraging.  It  is  very  alarming  to  those  of  you  who  are 
strangers  to  it.  And  this  is  the  ease  with  many  who  are  very  fa- 
miliar with  the  means  of  grace.  '  You  come  as  God's  people  come ;' 
that  is,  if  you  do  come  to  God's  house — but  no  further.  You  come 
from  curiosity  or  custom,  or  to  comply  with  the  desires  of  your  con- 
nections, or  to  appease  conscience  ;  not  to  please  God,  and  to  hold 
communion  with  Him.  You  have  never  come — you  knoio  you  have 
not — to  see  His  power  and  His  glory.  You  never  prayed  for  it  be- 
fore you  came ;  you  never  examine  yourselves  when  you  go  there. 


256    SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  ATTOBIOGRAPHY. 

■whether  you  have  enjoyed  Him.  Ohl  it  is  awful  to  think  what  a 
length  of  time  this  has  been  the  case  with  some  of  you.  Five,  ten, 
fifteen,  or  twenty  years,  without  one  effectual  religious  movement ! 
Dear  hearers,  what  will  these  means  of  grace  do  for  you  ?  You 
will  never  hear  to  purpose  till  you  so  hear  that  your  souls  may  live. 
You,  singers ;  if  you  do  not  sing  with  melody  in  your  hearts  to  the 
Lord  here,  you  will  not  be  found  among  the  blissful  number  of 
those  who  shall  celebrate  His  praises  in  the  courts  above.  And 
you,  hearers  of  the  gospel ;  if  you  are  hearers  only,  you  are  deceiv- 
ing your  own  souls ;  and  this  word  of  life  will  only  be  to  you  'a 
savor  of  death  unto  death.'  You,  worshippers ;  if  you  'draw  nigh 
to  God  with  your  lips,  and  honor  Ilim  with  j'our  mouths,  while 
your  heart  is  far  from  Ilim,'  and  you  do  not  worship  Him  who  is  a 
Spirit  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  you  will  pass  on  from  possessing  a 
name  and  a  place  among  the  people  of  God  here,  to  that  place  re- 
served for  hypocrites  and  unbelievers.  May  you  '  seek  the  Lord 
while  He  may  be  found,  and  call  upon  Him  while  He  is  near! ' 
"  But  some  of  you  can  say  with  the  psalmist, — 

"  '  I  've  seen  Thy  glory  and  Thy  power 
Through  all  Tliy  temple  shine  ; 
My  God,  repeat  tlie  heavenly  hour, 
That  vision  so  divine  ! ' 

Let  the  pleasure  of  former  experience  increase  your  expectation. 
May  you  ever  repair  to  His  temple,  humbly  believing  that  you  shall 
be  satisfied  with  the  goodness  of  God's  house,  'and  made  to  drink 
of  the  waters  of  life.'  And  then  you  sliall  soon  see  God  in  the  sanc- 
tuary above !  And,  oh,  what  a  sight  will  that  be  I  How  satisfy- 
ing! how  beautifying  !  how  eternal !  — 

"  'If  such  the  sweetness  of  the  streams. 
What  will  tlie  fountain  be. 
Where  saints  and  angels  draw  their  bliss 
Immediately  from  Thee  ! ' 

Then,  with  all  the  redeemed,  you  shall  be  before  the  throne  of  God, 
and  serve  Him  day  and  night  in  His  temple ;  and  He  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne  shall  dwell  among  them.  '  They  shall  hunger  no  more, 
nor  thirst  any  more,  neither  sliall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any 
heat.     For  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  257 

them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  water  ;  and  God 
shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes.'  '  Ah !'  said  Philip  Henry, 
'  if  this  be  heaven,  oh  !  that  I  were  there!'  "  • 


HIS   ILLNESS   AND   RESIGNATION   OF  THE    PASTORATE. 

After  this  service  lie  went  to  Worthing  to  enjoy  his 
usual  relaxation,  but  was  seized  with  alarming  illness. 
His  friend  and  physician,  Dr.  Bowie,  hastened  to  at- 
tend him,  and  he  was  removed  to  his  own  house  with 
as  much  speed  and  care  as  possible.  To  his  attend- 
ants he  then  said,  '■'■  I  am  going  home,  to  go  home."  Af- 
ter a  few  weeks  his  sufferings  were  alleviated,  and  he 
then  resolved  to  resign  his  pastorate.  He  accordingly 
addressed  the  following  brief  but  pathetic  letter  to  his 
people  : — 

"Bath,  October  5,  1852. 
"  To  tlie  Church  of  Christ  assembling  in  Argyle  Chapel. 
"  To  the  Deacons  and  all  the  Members  of  the  Church. 
"  My  most  dearly  Beloved, — 

"  I  had  fully  intended  to  send  from  Worthing  an  offi- 
cial intimation  of  the  resignation  of  my  pastorate,  January  next ; 
a  measure  to  which  my  mind  has  been  brought  by  various  consid- 
erations and  proprieties  of  things ;  but  a  dreadful  and  painful  as- 
sault of  disorder  prevented  my  doing  anything.  As  soon  as  possi- 
ble, I  now  thus  announce  ofScially  what  I  then  intended,  and  had 
mentioned  to  my  deacons  before.  Had  I  my  usual  ability,  I  should 
do  this  in  a  very  different  manner ;  but  you  must  now  excuse  a 
want  of  enlargement,  dictated  by  extreme  depression  and  weak- 
ness. 

"  The  Lord  bless  and  direct  you,  and  enable  you  to  preserve  the 
union,  and  harmony,  and  prosperity,  and  reputation  of  a  church 
which  has  been  exemplary  in  the  world,  endeared  by  the  affection- 
ate and  happy  connectio  of  more  than  sixty-three  years  to  your 
now  resigning  pastor, 

"  William  3i  t ' 


258  SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGKAFnY. 

Upon  this  a  meeting  was  held  on  October  30,  at 
Nvliich  the  following  resolution  was  passed  : — 

"That  this  church,  iu  receiving  tlie  intended  resignation,  on  the 
30th  of  January  next,  (the  day  of  his  ordination,)  of  its  revered  and 
beloved  Pastor,  devoutly  acknowledges  the  goodness  of  God  in  per- 
mitting it  the  distinguished  privilege  of  enjoying  a  ministry  so  faith- 
ful, valued,  and  eminently  useful  for  a  lengthened  period  of  sixty- 
three  years  ;  and,  -while  it  deeplj'  sympathizes  with  him  in  his  pres- 
ent affliction,  prays  with  submission  he  may  be  restored,  occasion- 
ally to  preach  the  'gospel  of  the  grace  of  God ;'  and  that,  when  his 
labors  shall  close,  an  entrance  may  be  ministered  unto  him  abun- 
dantly into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour.  That 
it  also  traces  with  gratitude  to  the  same  Divine  source,  the  unanim- 
ity and  peace  which  have  hitherto  marked  its  history ;  and  while 
it  would  seek  to  maintain  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of 
peace,  prays  that  the  great  Head  of  the  Church  may  afford  it  wis- 
dom and  guidance  in  the  appointment  of  a  successor  to  the  vener 
able  William  Jay." 

CHOICE   OF  A  SUCCESSOR. 

Early  in  the  year  1853,  among  other  persons  who 
came  to  supply  the  pulpit  at  Argyle  Chapel,  was  the 
Eev.  William  Henry  Dyer,  of  West  Bromwich,  Staf- 
fordshire. After  a  suitable  season  of  probation,  the 
choice  of  the  majority  of  the  church  fell  upon  Mr. 
Dyer  ;  and  although  there  was  a  respectable  minority, 
among  whom  was  Mr.  Jay,  who  dissented  from  the 
choice,  yet  the  church  asserted  its  right  of  election, 
and  determined  to  give  Mr.  Dyer  an  invitation  to  the 
pastorate.  This  occurred  in  the  month  of  April,  and 
shortly  after  Mr.  Dyer  accepted  the  invitation,  and 
took  upon  him  the  oversight  of  the  church  and  con- 
gregation. A  division  ensued,  and  a  separate  church 
lias  been  since  formed,  under  the  ministry  of  the  "Rev. 
Richard  Brindley  for  whom  a  new  chapel  is  now  in 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  259 

course  of  erection.  This  event  was  the  occasion  at  the 
time  of  considerable  uneasiness  and  even  pain  to  Mr. 
Jay ;  but  in  this,  as  in  many  other  instances,  the  Great 
Head  of  the  chui'ch  has  overruled  the  infirmities  and 
differences  of  his  servants  for  the  trial  of  their  faith  in 
him,  and  for  the  furtherance  of  his  own  gracious  de- 
signs to  the  world  and  the  church. 

It  was,  in  one  respect,  painful  that  a  church,  which 
had  been  so  long  distinguished  by  its  harmony,  should 
be  divided ;  and  especially  so  that  its  venerable  pastor 
should  be  called  to  witness  the  division.  But,  in  an- 
other view,  it  was  time  for  so  large  and  flourishing  a 
body  to  colonize.  The  storm  often  bears  precious 
seed  to  new  fields ;  and  both  persecutions  and  dis- 
agreements have  been  among  the  means  of  scattering 
the  good  seed  of  the  kingdom  more  widely.  Two 
ministers  of  the  Grospel  are  now  laboring  in  the  place 
of  one,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  both  will  gather  fruit 
unto  eternal  life ;  and  that,  while  intent  upon  the  one 
object  which  filled  the  mind  and  inspired  the  heart  of 
their  venerable  predecessor,  their  people  will  respect- 
ively forget  their  differences,  and  strive,  if  not  together 
yet  separately,  for  the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel  in  the 
populous  city  where  their  lot  is  cast. 

LAST   ILLNESS  AND   DEATH. 

As  early  as  the  year  1844  the  complaint  which 
proved  fatal  had  begun  to  manifest  itself,  but  for  some 
time  it  did  not  materially  interrupt  his  labors  either 
from  the  pulpit  or  the  press.  He  continued  to  bear 
up  calmly  and  energeticall}',  notwithstanding  occasion- 
al seasons  of  weakness  and  attacks  of  pain.  But  about 
a  year  previous  to  his  last  sickness  came  on  the  severe 


260         SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

attack  at  Worthing  already  noticed.  From  this  his 
recovery  was  only  partial  and  temporary.  Yet  in  the 
spring  and  summer  of  the  Ibllowing  year  (1858)  he  was 
enabled  to  take  short  journeys,  and  enjoy  a  little  of 
the  society  of  liis  friends.  During  this  period  he  visit- 
ed Bradford,  and  preached  several  times  there  and  at 
Bratton  between  April  and  the  end  of  August. 
Early  in  September  he  visited  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bolton, 
and  preached  at  the  opening  of  Lord  Ducie's  new 
chapel  at  Tortworth,  from  John,  xx.  16 :  "Jesus  saith 
unto  her,  Mary.  She  turned  herself,  and  saith  unto 
him,  Rabboni ;  which  is  to  say,  Master!"  Again,  the 
following  Sunday,  Sept.  11,  he  preached  at  Tortworth, 
from  Ps.  cxxxvii.  4. 

"In  the  next  week,"  says  Mr.  Rice  Hopkins,  "he 
came  to  spend  a  few  days  at  the  house  of  his  old  friend 
Mr.  Long  (my  father-in-law),  at  Kingswood,  near 
Wotton-under-Edge,  and  I  was  there  to  meet  him. 
Although  frequently  suffering  much  pain,  he  was  re- 
markably cheerful,  and  every  day  rode  or  walked  out, 
and  visited  several  friends  in  the  neighborhood.  On 
the  following  Sabbath  (Sept.  18)  he  preached  in  Kings- 
wood  meeting-house,  and  that  was  the  last  time  he 
ever  preached.  The  sermon  occupied  fifty  minutes, 
and  was  delivered  with  great  pathos.  You  will  be 
able  to  form  some  idea  of  its  contents  from  the  follow- 
ing brief  heads.  The  text  was  taken  from  the  fortieth 
chapter  of  Job  and  part  of  tlie  fourth  verse,  '  Behold, 
I  am  vile.' " 

In  his  introduction  he  remarked  that  self-knowledge 
is  of  inestimable  importance.  Even  the  heathens  used 
to  say  that  the  adage,  "  Know  thy  self, ^^  was  descended 
from  heaven.     Truly  has  Mr.  Pope  said,  that  "tho 


SUPPLEMENT   TO   THE   AUTOBIOGKAPHY.         261 

proper  study  of  mankind  is  man."  Having  briefly  en- 
larged upon  this  topic,  and  pointed  out  the  importance 
of  every  man  being  fully  acquainted  \vith  his  own 
character  and  prospects,  he  proceeded  to  consider  the 
subject  of  the  text,  and  noticed, 

I.  The  nature  of  the  self-accusation — "I  am  vile." 

1.  What  it  included.  Vile  signifies  base,  mean,  des- 
picable, worthless  ;  and  it  can  only  be  applied  to  that 
which  is  sinful. 

2.  The  person  by  whom  it  was  uttered.  It  was  not 
by  a  notorious  sinner,  nor  by  a  penitent  brought  for 
the  first  time  to  a  conviction  of  his  sin ;  nor  by  a  back- 
sHder  returniag  to  God;  but  by  Job,  an  eminently 
pious  man. 

3.  The  time  when  it  was  uttered.  It  was  after  he 
had  had  manifestations  of  the  glory  of  God. 

II.  The  way  in  which  this  perception  of  vileness  is 
obtained. 

1.  The  Spirit  of  God  operating  upon  the  min^. 

2.  The  medium  is  the  Word  of  God,  convincing  of 
sin,  and  showing  the  spirituality  of  the  Law  of  God. 

3.  The  manner  is  sometimes  instantaneous,  but  more 
commonly  gradual. 

TIT.  The  effects  of  this  perception. 

1.  Conviction  of  sin. 

2.  A  sense  of  our  own  inability  to  save  ourselves. 

3.  A  conviction  of  the  necessity  of  salvation  by 
Jesus  Christ. 

4.  A  persuasion  of  the  importance  of  regeneration 
by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

5.  Candor  and  tenderness  in  judging  of  the  faults 
of  others. 

6.  Hatred  to  sin,  and  an  increasing  desire  of  holiness. 


262         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

IV.  The  way  to  endure  this  perception. 

1.  Are  you  vile?  This  vileucss  is  not  peculiar  to 
yourself. 

2.  Are  you  vile  ?  If  a  Christian,  you  are  only  vile 
considered  in  yourself,  but  not  in  Christ  Jesus. 

3.  The  time  will  soon  come  when  this  vileness  will 
be  done  away. 

"  Yet  a  season,  and  you  know 

Happy  entrance  will  be  given, 
All  your  sorrows  left  below. 

And  earth  exchanged  for  heaven." 

Christians,  is  not  this  worth  dying  for? 

These  were  the  last  words  of  the  last  sermon  preached 
by  the  venerated  deceased,  he  being  then  in  his  eighty- 
fifth  year. 

Upon  his  return  to  Bath,  after  the  visit  to  his  chil- 
dren and  friends,  he  wrote  thus  to  Mrs.  Ashton  : — • 

"  We  arrived  here  iu  safety  about  two  hours  before  yours  and 
dear  Garfit's  letters  came  to  hand.  You  are  mistaken  in  supposing 
I  am  returned  so  much  better  than  I  went.  I  behaved  as  well  as  I 
could ;  but  I  felt  exceedingly  weak,  and  suffered  more  than  usual 
from  my  complaint,  and  do  suffer.  But  I  valued  and  enjoyed  the 
visit.  How  could  it  be  otherwise,  when  every  attention  was  ex- 
quisitely paid  me,  as  if  I  had  been  a  prince  royal ;  and  I  was  in  the 
midst  of  such  a  family  as  I  never  witnessed.  I  was  often,  from  in- 
disposition and  suffering,  in  a  mood  to  find  fault,  but  not  one  thing 
could  I  censure, — yea,  I  kept  applauding. 

"As  well  as  weakness  and  pain  would  allow,  I  preached  with 
freedom  and  pleasure  in  the  new  chapel,  and  was  much  pleased  with 
my  visit  to  the  new  earl  and  his  lady.  I  daily  rode  out,  drawn  by 
the  ponies,  and  was  much  amused  in  feeding  them.  Mr.  Long  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hopkins  were  unusually  kind  and  attentive,  as  if  they 
thought  (not  an  unreasonable  conclusion)  that  this  might  be  my 
last  visit. 

"Bath,  Sept.  lH,  1853." 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  263 

From  the  date  of  this  letter  till  about  Christmas,  he 
suffered  much  anguish  of  body,  but  was  occasionally 
able  to  read  and  write  a  little.  As  his  sufferings  per- 
mitted, he  attended  to  the  printing  and  publishing  of 
his  last  work,  entitled,  "Female  Scripture  Biography," 
the  last  sheet  of  which  was  corrected  and  sent  to  the 
press  only  on  the  Friday,  December  23,  1853  ;  and  on 
Tuesday  the  27th,  at  half-past  six  in  the  evening,  he 
calmly  slept  in  Jesus. 

He  had  never  laid  much  stress  upon  death-bed  experi- 
ences, and  used  to  say,  "  Tell  me  not  how  he  died,  but 
how  he  lived."  Without  entering,  therefore,  into  a 
lengthened  detail  of  his  last  days  and  hours,  we  may 
yet  put  on  record  a  few  of  his  memorable  and  em- 
phatic words,  which  will  enable  his  numerous  friends 
to  realize  in  some  measure  the  character  of  the  last 
scenes.  The  acuteness  of  his  sufferings  sometimes 
gave  a  tinge  of  melancholy  to  his  utterances ;  but 
these  were  the  groanings  of  the  creature  waiting  to 
"be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption  into 
the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God." 

In  his  various  conversations,  particularly  with  Mrs. 
Jay,  he  said,  "Will  he  plead  against  me  with  his  great 
power?  No;  but  he  will  put  strength  in  me."  "  He 
hideth  himself  on  the  right  hand,  that  I  cannot  see 
him ;  but  he  knoweth  the  way  that  I  take :  when 
he  hath  tried  me,  I  shall  come  forth  as  gold."  "  And 
now.  Lord,  what  wait  I  for?  my  hope  is  in  thee.  I 
know,  O  Lord,  that  all  thy  judgments  are  right," 

"  The  sharpest  sufferings  I  endure  flow  from  his 
faithful  dare." 

"  What  are  all  mj  sufferings  here  when  once  com- 
pared with  his  ?" 


264         SUPPLEMENT  TO   TUE   AUTOBIOGRAPnY. 

"  Surely  he  hath  borne  our  griefs  and  carried  our 
sorrows,"  &c.  0,  blessed  prediction,  and  how  glori- 
ously fulfilled !  "  The  sweat  as  it  were  great  drops 
of  blood  falling  down  to  the  ground." 

•'  Were  the  whole  realm  of  nature  miue, 
That  were  a  present  for  too  small ; 
Love  80  amazing,  so  divine, 
Demands  my  soul,  my  life,  my  all." 

"  Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  tilings  but  loss  for 
the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my 
Lord." 

"Jesus,  thy  perfect  righteousness 
My  beauty  is,  my  glorious  dress; 
'Midst  flaming  worlds,  in  this  array'd, 
With  joy  shall  I  lift  up  my  head." 

"  Nothing  in  my  hands  I  bring, 
Simply  to  thyself  I  cling." 

On  another  occasion  he  expressed  his  feelings  thus : 
"  But  I  am  poor  and  needy,  yet  the  Lord  thinketh 
upon  me."  "  0  my  God,  give  me  patience  ;  forsake 
me  not,  a  poor  sinner.  0  God,  thou  hast  taught  me 
from  my  youth,  and  hitherto  I  have  declared  thy  won- 
drous works.  Now,  also,  when  I  am  old  and  gray- 
headed,  0  God,  forsake  me  not."  Adding,  in  the 
words  of  the  h3'mn, 

"Even  down  to  old  age  my  people  shall  prove 
My  sovereign,  eternal,  unchangeable  love; 
And  when  lioarj-  hairs  their  temj^les  adorn. 
Like  lambs  they  shall  still  in  my  bosom  be  borne. 
The  soul  tliat  on  Jesus  hath  leaned  for  repose, 
I  will  not,  I  will  not  desert  to  his  foes  ; 
That  soul,  though  all  hell  should  endeavor  to  shake, 
I  '11  never,  no  never,  no  never  forsake." 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  265 

Afterwards  he  exclaimed,  "Exceeding  great  and 
priceless  promises!"  Sooner  all  nature  shall  change 
than  one  of  his  promises  fail. 

On  another  occasion,  when  one  of  his  attendants 
was  reading  to  him,  as  was  the  constant  practice,  a  cer- 
tain speculative  work  on  theology,  which  was  then 
occasioning  much  controversy,  was  mentioned,  he 
said,  "Don't  puzzle  yourselves  with  such  subjects. 
"View  God  as  he  is,  infinitely  holy,  wise,  true,  merciful, 
gracious,  amiable.  View  him  not  as  a  tyrant,  but  as 
he  is,  God  of  all  gTace.  Look  entirely  to  him  at  all 
times,  and  under  all  circumstances.  He  is  ever  wait- 
ing to  be  gracious.  He  changeth  not.  He  is  'the 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.'  " 

One  day,  while  suffering  under  great  bodily  dis- 
tress, he  said,  "I  fear  God  hasforsaken  me.  Let  me 
not  be  impatient ;  let  me  repose  in  his  love.  I  fear  I 
am  impatient."  Mrs.  Jay  replied,  "  Think  of  the  feel- 
ings of  your  precious  Saviour :  like  you,  he  said,  '  My 
God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?'  He  has 
promised  never  to  forsake  you.  His  grace  is  sufficient 
for  you."  He  then  replied,  "  I  mourn,  I  do  not  mur- 
mur. '  It  is  the  Lord  ;  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him 
good.'  I  desire  to  lie  passive,  and  know  no  will  but 
his.  'Li  patience  possess  ye  your  souls.'  Lay  no 
more  upon  me  than  thou  wilt  enable  me  to  bear  ;  and 
I  will  glorify  thee  in  my  sore  aflaiction." 

"  '  Dear  Lord !  though  bitter  is  the  cup 
Thy  gracious  hand  deals  out  to  me, 
I  cheerfully  would  drink  it  up ; 
That  cannot  hurt  that  comes  from  thee. 

Dash  it  with  thy  unchanging  love, 
Let  not  a  drop  of  wrath  be  there ; 
12 


266         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

The  saints  forever  blessed  above 
Were  often  most  afflicted  here. 

From  Jesus,  thy  incarnate  Son, 

I  learn  obedience  to  thy  will ; 
And  humbly  kiss  thy  chastening  rod, 

When  its  severest  strokes  I  feel.'  " 

"  The  language  of  the  publican,"  he  said,  "did,  does, 
an  1  ever  will,  befit  me ;  and  even  down  to  death  must 
be  my  cry,  '  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner.' 

"  '  Mercy,  good  Lord,  mercy  I  ask, 
This  is  the  total  sum  ; 
Mercy  through  Christ  is  all  ray  suit ; 
Lord,  let  thy  mercy  come.' 

"  I  do  not  murmur — allow  mc  to  groan.  It  seems 
to  ease  my  pain.  Objects  most  dear  and  attractive 
now  fail  to  interest.  0  for  a  grateful  heart !  I  have 
made  some  little  stir  in  life,  but  now  I  am  nothing. 
God  seems  to  be  saying,  '  I  can  do  without  you.'  An 
ofiicial  character  is  not  to  be  judged  of  by  his  minis- 
terial work.  He  is  compelled  often  to  administer  com- 
fort to  others  when  he  is  perhaps  not  enjoying  it  him- 
self.    You  see  the  sail,  but  not  the  ballast." 

On  Christmas-day  his  sufferings  were  very  severe, 
and  he  said  to  Dr.  Bowie,  "  0  Doctor,  what  a  Christ- 
mas-day !  but  I  can  say,  '  Thanks  be  unto  God  for  his 
unspeakable  gift ;' "  and  then  he  quoted  1  Pet,  i.  3,  4, 
5,  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  which  according  to  his  abundant  mercj^  hath 
begotten  us  again  into  a  lively  hope,  by  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead,  to  an  inheritance 
incorruptible  and  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away, 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         267 

reserved  in  heaven  for  you,  wlio  are  kept  by  the 
power  of  God  tlirough  faith  unto  salvation  ready  to 
be  revealed  in  the  last  time !"  He  was  particularly 
partial  to  the  hymn,  "Gruide  me,  O  thou  great  Je- 
hovah P'  often  repeated  it,  and  especially  the  last 
verse— 

"  When  I  tread  the  verge  of  Jordan, 
Bid  my  anxious  fears  subside  ; 
Death  of  death,  and  hell's  destruction, 
Land  me  safe  on  Canaan's  side : 

Songs  of  praises, 
I  will  ever  give  to  Thee." 

On  the  morning  of  Tuesday,  Dec.  27,  the  day  of  his 
death,  he  said,  "  Oh,  none  of  you  know  what  it  is  to 
die."  From  this  time  he  spoke  little,  but  sank  gradu- 
ally into  the  arms  of  death,  becoming  so  still  and  calm 
that  the  precise  period  of  his  departure  could  not  be 
perceived.  Though  he  uttered  but  few  words  on  the 
bed  of  death,  yet  there  was  the  silent  testimony  of  a 
settled  peace  ;  while  his  long  life  and  entire  labors  had 
afforded  a  faithful  and  consistent  witness  for  God  and 
Truth. 

THE  FUNERAL  SERVICE  AND  INTERMENT. 

In  accordance  with  the  wishes  of  Mr.  Jay's  widow 
and  the  other  members  of  his  family,  it  was  deter- 
mined that  the  funeral  should  be  as  jjrivate  as  possi- 
ble.* 

*  Mr.  Ashton,  as  Mr.  Jay's  son-in-law,  legal  adviser,  and  executor, 
attended  and  directed  the  obsequies  of  his  venerable  relative.  On 
the  very  day  following  his  return  to  his  residence  at  Cambridge, 
after  the  affecting  and  exciting  scenes  at  Bath,  he  was  smitten  by 
an  alarming  attack  of  paralysis ;  from  the  severity  and  peril  of 
which  he  was  somewhat  recovered,  when  he  was  suddenly  over- 


268    SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

The  interment  took  place  on  the  2d  of  January, 
1854,  in  the  vault  which  had  been  prepared  many- 
years  before  for  members  of  his  family  previously  de- 
ceased, in  the  cemetery  at  Snow  Hill,  belonging  to 
Argyle  chapel. 

The  service  was  conducted  by  the  Eev.  John  Owen, 
minister  of  the  Vineyard  Chapel,  in  the  connection  of 
the  late  Countess  of  Huntingdon.  In  the  course  of 
the  funeral  oration  Mr.  Owen  paid  the  following  trib- 
ute of  affectionate  respect  to  the  memory  of  Mr. 
Jay  :— 

"  In  referring  to  our  departed  friend,  whether  we  regard  him  as 
a  believer  in  Christ,  as  a  minister  of  the  everlasting  Gospel,  as  a 
pastor  of  a  Christian   church  for  so  long  a  period,  as  a  phiianthro- 

taken  by  the  most  afflictive  bereavement  which  a  husband  can  be 
called  on  to  endure.  On  Sunday  afternoon,  February  19th,  1854, 
Mrs.  Ashton,  while  walking  in  those  beautiful  grounds  which  she 
had  herself  planned,  and  every  tree  and  shrub  of  which  was  planted 
by  her  own  hand,  or  under  her  directions,  was  taken  suddenly  ill. 
She  hastened  into  the  house,  and  medical  aid  was  instantly  sent 
for,  but  before  it  arrived  the  vital  spark  was  extinct.  She  expired 
in  the  room  and  before  the  eyes  of  her  suffering  husband.  Thus 
abruptly  was  this  superior  and  excellent  woman  snatched  from  an 
earthly  paradise  which  she  had  embellished  by  her  taste,  and  ani- 
mated by  her  presence.  Along  those  walks,  and  amidst  those 
shrubberies,  she  had  often  led  her  beloved  father,  under  whose 
smiles  and  in  whose  presence  they  appeared  still  more  interesting 
and  lovely.  Both  have  now  disappeared  from  the  fairy-land,  to 
meet,  and  unite,  we  trust,  in  a  fairer,  happier  Eden. 

The  bereaved,  afflicted  husband  still  remains  in  this  lovely  spot 
to  converse  with  the  reminiscences  of  "joys  departed  never  to  re- 
turn" here,  but  to  be  renewed  and  surpassed  in  the  society  of  those 
loved  ones  where  neither  death  nor  sin  can  enter.  May  the  Divine 
Comforter  give  him,  in  his  solitary  and  mournful  hours,  many 
bright  hopes  and  blissful  anticipations  of  an  union  in  the  celestial 
paradise  with  all  that  was  most  dear  to  him  here. 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   TSE   AUTOBIOGEAPHY.  269 

pist,  as  an  author,  as  a  citizen,  or  as  a  friend,  we  cannot  but  sor- 
row,— but  most  of  all  that  we  shall  see  his  face  no  more  on  earth. 
There  are  circumstances,  we  admit,  my  dear  friends,  which  greatly 
soothe  our  pain,  under  the  loss  we  have  sustained,  and  which  tend 
to  moderate  our  regret,  and  to  chasten  our  grief  on  this  occasion, 
when  we  call  to  mind  the  early  commencement  and  lengthened 
period  of  his  religious  course, — the  remarkable  and  increasing  ac- 
ceptableness  and  usefulness  of  his  ministration, — the  variety  and 
unique  excellence  of  his  published  works ; — when  we  look  at  the 
unsullied  purity  of  his  moral  character,  when  we  reflect  on  his 
peaceful  end,  and  think  of  his  present  blessedness  in  the  presence 
of  Jehovah, — there  is  much,  my  brethren,  to  soothe  our  griefs.  We 
mourn,  but  not  on  his  account.  ]S"o  !  He  has  fought  the  good  fight, 
he  has  finished  his  course,  he  has  kept  the  faith,  and  has  now  joined 
the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born  which  are  writ- 
ten in  heaven ;  he  is  with  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect. 
He  is  with  the  Saviour  he  loved,  the  Saviour  he  proclaimed,  and 
will  be  with  him  forever. 

"  And  yet  we  cannot  but  mourn  on  our  own  account.  We  suffer 
a  loss — a  great  loss — by  his  removal  from  our  midst.  We  lose  his 
wise  counsels,  his  instructive  example,  his  ready  co-operation,  his 
tender  sympathy,  and  his  fervent  intercessions,  and  therefore  we 
mourn.  Jesus  wept  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus,  and  we  may  weep  at 
the  grave  of  the  venerated  Jay.  His  name  will  forever  be  im- 
printed on  my  memory.  For  fifty  years  I  have  known  it ;  for  forty 
in  connection  with  religion,  for  thirty-five  as  a  fellow-minister  of 
the  Gospel,  and  especially  during  the  last  twenty-five  have  I  re- 
garded him  as  a  son  would  regard  connection  with  his  father. 
From  my  first  taking  up  my  residence  in  this  city  to  the  last  day 
of  his  life  there  was  never  a  mis-thought  or  a  mis-word  between  us, 
and  therefore  I  cannot  but  mourn  his  loss  on  my  own  account. 
But  how  can  we  best  express  the  sincerity  of  our  grief,  and  mani- 
fest our  tender  regard  for  his  memory  ?  Why,  by  embracing  the 
blessed  truths  which  he  so  long  proclaimed,  by  following  the  course 
he  pointed  out  from  the  pulpit,  and  recommended  through  the 
press,— by  devoting  ourselves  to  the  service  of  the  Lord, — by  imi- 
tating his  excellence, — and  by  seeking  through  faith  in  Christ  and 
dependence  on  the  Holy  Spirit  to  attain  that  rest  into  which  he  has 
entered,  and  to  be  with  him  forever  in  the  presence  of  God  and  of 
the  Lamb.  In  order  to  this  we  must  have  an  interest  in  God  our 
Saviour  and  Sanctifier  ;  and  thel  while  we  stand  mourning  at  the 


270         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

tomb  of  our  departed  friend  and  father,  we  may  yet,  in  the  trium- 
phant language  of  the  Apostle,  say,  '  O  death,  where  is  thy  stingif 
O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  i  The  sting  of  death  is  sin,  and  the 
strength  of  sin  is  tiie  law ;  but  thanks  be  unto  God  which  giveth 
us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.' 

"I  shall  not  attempt  to  refer  to  the  oss  sustained  by  the  bereaved 
relations  who  are  present,  and  those  who  are  absent,  because  of 
the  near  approach  of  the  solemn  service  in  which  our  revered 
friend  frona  Birmingham  (the  Rev.  J.  A.  James)  who  is  with  us 
this  morning,  will  take  part,  and  when,  aided  by  the  Sjjirit  of 
God,  he  will  offer  sucli  instruction  and  consolation  as  may  render 
the  removal  of  our  beloved  friend  of  advantage  to  our  souls." 


The  clay  of  interment  was  one  of  the  most  inclem- 
ent in  a  winter  of  extraordinary  severity,  yet  a  train 
of  mourning  friends,  members  of  his  own  church, 
with  many  from  other  denominations,  joined  of  their 
own  accord  in  the  sable  procession,  to  pay  this  im- 
pressive tribute  of  affectionate  esteem  to  the  memo- 
ry of  the  aged  pastor ;  and,  regardless  of  the  drifting 
snow  and  piercing  wind,  to  drop  a  silent  tear  upon  his 
grave,  while  many  a  sorrowful  heart  devoutly  ex- 
claimed, "My  father!  my  father!  the  chariots  of  Is- 
rael and  the  horsemen  thereof !"  But  for  the  wishes 
of  the  family  to  make  the  obsequies  as  unostentatious 
as  possible,  a  large  number  of  ministers,  both  from  the 
city  of  Bath  and  the  neighboring  towns,  would  glad- 
ly have  been  present  on  the  mournful  occasion  to  do 
honor  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased.  Many  of  the 
houses  and  shops  in  the  line  of  the  procession  gave 
evidence  to  the  mourning  of  the  inhabitants  by  their 
closed  windows ;  while  wnthin  the  cemetery  a  large 
concourse,  despite  the  severity  of  the  w^eather,  assem- 
bled to  witness  the  interment. 

The  Eev.  John  Owen,  after  the  address  from  which 


SUPPLEMENT   TO  THE   AUTOBIOGKAPHY.  271 

we  have  given  an  extract,  offered  an  impressive 
prayer,  and  having  pronounced  the  apostolic  benedic- 
tion, the  funeral  procession  was  re-formed,  and  the 
mourners  left  the  ground.  Then  the  hundreds  who 
had  congregated  to  behold  the  mortal  remains  of  Wil- 
liam Jay  consigned  to  their  last  resting-place  flocked 
into  the  little  building  to  gaze  upon  his  cof&n,  and 
slowly  and  sorrowfully  the  assembled  multitude  dis- 
persed. 

The  inscription  on  the  coffin  was  as  follows  : — 

Eev.  William  Jay, 

DIED 

27th  December,  1853. 
Aged  84  Years. 

On  the  following  Thursday  evening,  Jan.  4,  the  fu- 
neral sermon  was  preached  in  the  Yineyard  Chapel 
by  the  Eev.  John  Angell  James,  from  2  Kings,  ii.  14, 
"  Where  is  the  Lord  God  of  Elijah  ?" 

Funeral  sermons  were  also  preached  on  the  occa- 
sion in  Argyle  Chapel  on  the  following  Lord's-day, 
by  the  Eev.  James  Sherman  of  London,  and  the  Eev. 
W.  H.  Dyer ;  also  by  the  Eev.  Eichard  Brindley,  to 
the  separate  congregation  worshipping  pro  tempore  in 
the  assembly-room 


Thus  closed  the  lengthened  earthly  career  of  this 
eminent  servant  of  Christ,  who,  through  the  period  of 
sixty-three  years,  faithfully  discharged  his  ministerial 
commission,  and  diligently  served  his  generation  in  a 
city  distinguished  indeed  by  its  fashion  and  gaiety,  but 


272  SUITLEMENT   TO  THE   AUTOWOGRAPIIY. 

yet  not  wholly  insensible  to  tlie  attractions  of  his  elo- 
quent and  evangelic  labors. 

Whatever  may  be  the  niouuiiicnt  which  shall  be 
raised  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  so  good,  so  great, 
and  so  useful  a  man ;  and  whatever  may  be  the  terms 
of  j  ust  eulogy  which  the  hand  of  affection  may  inscribe 
upon  it,  this  volume,  mainly  from  his  own  pen,  as  well 
as  his  other  published  works,  will  constitute  his  best 
and  most  desirable  memorial.  The  characters  inscribed 
by  the  chisel  of  the  sculptor  will  be  obliterated  by  "  time's 
effacing  fingers,"  and  the  marble  that  shall  bear  them 
will  resolve  itself  into  dust ;  but  the  truths  he  has  em- 
balmed in  his  writings,  or  by  his  eloquent  tongue  writ- 
ten upon  living  hearts,  will  retain  their  interest  and  in- 
fluence undiminished  amidst  all  material  ruin  and  deso- 
lation ;  and  the  writings  of  William  Jay  will  continue 
to  shed  light  upon  the  pathway  of  many  a  traveller 
Zionward,  and  to  train  many  of  the  heirs  of  immor- 
tality for  their  portion  in  the  skies. 

When  William  Jay  died,  the  city  in  which  he  had 
so  long  labored  lost  one  of  its  most  honorable  patriarchs, 
one  of  its  richest  ornaments  and  holiest  attractions. 
There,  under  his  ministry,  senators,  wearied  with  the 
cares  of  state,  had  listened  gratefully  to  the  Saviour's  in- 
vitation :  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest;"  and  found  that  repose 
which  which  only  faith  and  hope  can  impart.  There, 
many  of  the  slaves  of  dissipation  and  vice  were  emanci- 
pated by  the  gracious  words  whicli  proceeded  out  of  his 
mouth,  from  the  fetters  of  their  fatal  enchantment,  and 
were  brought  into  the  glorious  Kberty  of  the  children 
of  God.  There  the  eager  votaries  of  fashion,  thirsting 
for  the  pleasures  of  sense,  and  proving  the  emptiness 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  273 

of  the  wells  from  whicli  they  hoped  to  draw  them, 
were  allured  by  his  sweet  voice  to  taste  the  fountain  o± 
living  water,  and  found  the  bliss  which  they  had  vainly 
sought  from  worldly  sources.  There,  too,  the  victims 
of  fell  diseases,  who  had  tried  many  physicians  and 
were  nothing  bettered,  were  directed  by  him  to  the 
Divine  Physician  of  their  souls,  and  received  that  heal- 
ing which  made  their  bodily  affictions  light,  by  teach- 
ing them  to  triumph  over  death. 

But  this  ministry  is  now  closed.  He  that  granted  it 
for  so  long  a  space,  and  made  it  so  rich  a  blessing,  has 
seen  fit  to  withdraw  it.  The  city  that  possessed  his 
pulpit,  around  which  such  distinguished  assemblies 
crowded,  now  exhibits  his  sepulchre.  From  the  one 
they  heard  his  living  voice,  from  the  other  they  will 
learn  the  silent  but  eloquent  lesson  of  his  death.  No 
saintly  shrine  will  be  erected  to  court  and  stimulate 
the  incense  of  superstitious  and  idolatrous  worship, 
though  he  was  a  saint  in  the  church  below,  and  is  now 
a  glorified  one  in  the  church  above ;  yet  to  his  tomb  a 
pathway  will  be  worn  by  the  feet  of  many  pilgrims  of 
affection,  from  his  own  and  other  countries,  who  will 
inquire  for  the  spot — not  where  rest  the  ashes  of  the 
great  dramatist,  poet,  philosopher,  or  statesman,  but 
where,  till  the  morning  of  the  resurrection,  repose  the 
remains  of  the  wise,  and  good,  and  holy  William  Jay, 
the  great  and  useful  preacher  of  the  Gospel  of  our  sal- 
vation. 


We  shall  here  subjoin  some  miscellaneous  recollec- 
tions and  sketches  of  his  life  and  manners,  which  will, 
no  doubt,  interest  the  reader  by  giving  him  a  pleasing 
12* 


274         SUPPLEMENT  TO    I'HE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

sight  of  Mr.  Jay  in  the  heart  of  his  family,  and  among 
his  familiar  friends. 

DOMESTIC    SKETCHES. 

"  It  was  the  practice  of  my  dear  father,"  writes  one 
of  his  daughters,  "to  throw  off  all  study  on  the  Satur- 
day, that  he  and  his  subject  might  be  fresh  for  the 
Sabbath.  On  that  day  (and  0,  what  a  jovous  after- 
noon that  was  to  us  children  1)  we  were  indulged  in 
rambling  with  him  in  a  country  walk,  choosing  the 
side  of  some  running  brook,  which  he  delighted  to 
follow,  or  sending  us  scrambling  into  field  or  hedge- 
row for  wild  flowers;  and,  when  each  brought  their 
little  nosegay,  to  receive  the  prize  held  out  to  them  for 
the  best  flowers,  or  best  arranged. 

'*  How  full  of  hope  and  happiness  was  he,  and  how 
free  to  make  others  the  partakers  of  his  joys !  How 
many  will  remember  the  pleasure  in  his  later  years  it 
gave  him  to  fill  his  pockets  with  applds,  books,  and 
pence;  and  then  either  from  the  carriage-box,  or  in 
Avulking,  he  would  throw  them  so  dexterously  to  a  too 
I'cady  group  of  boys  and  girls,  who  were  fleet  enough, 
or  had  skill  enough,  to  carry  away  the  prize;  and  how 
he  always  gave  his  throw  in  favor  of  the  girls. 

"  Our  dear  father  was  strongly  excited  by  music,  of 
the  pleasure  of  which  he  was  susceptible  in  the  highest 
degree.  He  had  an  ear  formed  to  cnjoj''  the  simplest 
melody,  and,  though  little  cultivated,  he  relished  its 
highest  charms ;  and  a  simple  air  would  transj^ort  his 
feelings  to  the  utmost  pitch.  In  his  last  visit  to  Stone, 
how  did  he  delight  to  lie  on  the  sofa,  and  hear  his 
granddaughters  sing,  %nd  often  said,  '  How  delightful 
now  to  enter  heaven . 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  275 

"  Anotlier  little  trait  of  his  character  was  his  sweet 
thought  of  giving  pleasure  to  others.  It  was  almost 
always  his  habit  to  go  into  his  garden  before  service, 
and  pick  each  of  the  servants  a  good  handful  of  flowers, 
arranged  by  himself,  which  they  were  desired  on  no 
account  to  bring  home,  but  give  to  some  of  the  poor 
people,  who  would  value  them  doubly  sent  from  such 
a  garden." 

FAMILY  PRAYEE. 

Mr.  Bolton  says,  "  My  father-in-law  came  in  to  break- 
fast with  us,  as  our  early  hour  suited  him  best.  In 
family  worship  I  was  struck  with  his  prayer  for  us : — 

"  Peace  be  to  this  house  !  May  thy  servants  at  the 
head  of  it  enjoy  much  of  this  peace — that  peace  which 
the  world  cannot  give  by  its  good  things,  nor  by  its 
evil  things  take  away — that  peace  which  passeth  all 
understanding.  Let  all  their  dear  children  live  before 
thee,  be  the  care  of  thy  tender  providence,  and  the 
early  subjects  of  thy  grace.  We  are  now  going  forth 
into  the  engagements  of  the  day :  let  thy  presence  go 
with  us.  Whether  alone  or  in  company,  may  we 
sanctify  thee  in  all  our  thoughts,  and  all  our  words — 
concerned  to  improve  all  our  opportunities  of  gaining 
good  and  doing  good,  and  the  more  so  as  we  see  the 
day  approaching  which  will  deprive  us  of  both." 

In  connection  with  Mr.  Jay's  pecuhar  gift  in  family 
prayer,  we  introduce  the  following  anecdote  communi- 
cated by  Mr.  Waylen  : — 

"  A  domestic  servant,  of  rare  excellence  of  character, 
was,  when  very  young,  nursing  old  Mrs.  Colbourn  of 
Chippenham.  Under  great  anxiety,  she  resolved  to 
descend  and  listen  at  the  door  of  the  parlor  at  a  mo- 


276         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

ment  when  she  knew  Mr.  Jay  was  leading  the  devo- 
tions of  the  house,  lie  being  then  on  a  visit  there.  If 
reference  to  herself  individually  should  occur  in  his 
prayer,  she  resolved  to  take  it  as  'a  token  for  good.' 
And  such  was  the  wished-for  result.  She  is  now  in 
my  house." 

SIMPLICITY   OF   MANNER  AT  HOME. 

A  near  witness  testifies  that  his  simplicity  seemed 
innate  and  natural ;  for  he  was  as  free  from  affectation 
as  from  guile.  The  gentleness,  ingenuousness  and  un- 
suspiciousness  of  a  little  child  were  ever  displayed  by 
him.  Thinking  no  evil  himself  he  believed  every 
one  open  and  sincere  as  himself,  and  his  heart  was 
pained  when  he  met  with  deceivers. 

Nothing  could  satisfy  him  in  his  preaching  but 
bringing  forth  the  whole  story  of  Matthew  Henry's 
three  E's,  Euin,  Eedemption,  and  Regeneration — Jesus 
Christ  and  him  crucified,  to  meet  the  condition  of  poor 
sinners — to  try  to  save  souls  ;  and  if  in  any  part  of 
his  sermon  he  considered  that  he  had  been  deficient, 
his  heart  felt  deeply,  and  he  longed  for  the  next  op- 
portunity of  preaching  more  fully,  more  pathetically, 
and  practically.  Such  seasons  were  most  prayerfully 
and  tearfully  implored  in  private  previously,  and  he 
would  then  bless  God  for  the  enjoyment,  and  entreat 
that  it  might  not  be  difierent  with  him  in  public. 
Sometimes  he  seemed  under  such  a  happy  divine  in- 
fluence that  a  blessing  was  felt  to  rest  in  an  indescrib- 
able manner  upon  his  conversation.  His  heart  was 
all  alive  to  participate  in  the  woes  of  those  around 
him,  and  his  expressions  were  so  balmy  that  they 
soothed  the  deepest  wounds  even  wher  they  could  not 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  277 

Leal.  The  piety  and  copiousness  of  his  prayers  were 
very  remarkable.  You  felt  that  they  were  poured 
forth  from  a  heart  which  seemed  the  very  sanctuarj^ 
of  devotion.  He  lived,  as  it  were,  in  the  ^^recincts  of 
heaven,  and  was  ever  ready  to  present  petitions  to 
God.  He  was  especially  observant  of  devotion  when 
he  had  public  services  in  prospect.  He  always  took  a 
prayerful  review  of  his  subject,  and  often  was  a  tearful, 
wresthng  season  of  communion  with  God  in  private 
the  prelude  to  the  holiest  and  happiest  seasons  in  pub- 
lic. His  practice  uniformly  was  to  go  from  the  closet 
to  the  pulpit.  Nothing  was  allowed  to  intervene.  In 
this,  doubtless,  may  be  found  one  of  the  elements  of 
his  efficiency  and  success.  He  came  as  from  the  Di- 
vine presence  with  a  message  from  God  to  men.  De- 
votion had  given  greater  strength  to  his  arm  and 
keener  edge  to  his  weapon.  Hence  he  spake  "  not  as 
pleasing  men,  but  God,  who  trieth  our  hearts."  Hap- 
py would  it  be  for  the  church  of  Christ  if  all  its  min- 
isters conscientiously  followed  this  example !  How 
would  it  contribute  both  to  their  happiness  and  suc- 
cess! 

DR.    BOWIE'S   RECOLLECTIONS   OF   MR.   JAY,   AND 
ACCOUNT   OF  HIS   LAST   DAYS. 

I  had  the  great  privilege  of  affording  him  my  medi- 
cal assistance  to  the  close  of  his  honored  life  (for  a  pe- 
riod of  more  than  thirty  years),  and  am  happy  to  say 
receiving  to  the  last,  and  at  the  last,  the  same  proofs 
of  esteem,  affection,  and  regard,  which  he  had  for  so 
man^  years  bestowed  on  me,  and  for  which  blessing  I 
indeed  give  God  thanks.  You  ask  me  if  I  have  any 
recollections  ^f  our  dear  departed  friend.     I  answer, 


278         SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

none  in  writing^  but  many  in  mind.  It  would  be  per- 
fectly impossible  fjr  any  one  to  have  liad  the  i^rivilege 
I  possessed  for  more  than  thirty  years  of  having  him 
as  my  pastor  and  friend,  without  having  numerous 
recollections  of  one  I  ever  considered  a  shining  star, 
and  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  individuals  this 
country,  or  indeed  any  other,  ever  saw.  I  here  will 
say  that  I  allude  now  to  him  as  a  preacher  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ.  Here,  in  my  opinion,  he  was  quite 
unique^  and  unlike  every  other  preacher  I  ever  heard. 
If  you  will  allow  me  to  say,  it  was  not,  in  ray  opinion, 
that  Mr.  Jay  possessed  any  one  peculiar  point  of  men- 
tal character  which  made  him  the  highly  -  finished 
preacher  ;  but  he  appears  to  me  to  have  combined  in 
himself  a  number  of  faculties  arising  from  his  organ- 
ization, which  in  the  highest  degree  fitted  him  to  excel 
as  a  preacher.  He  possessed  very  great  powers  of  im- 
agery, pathos,  and  irony,  all  of  which  were  occasion- 
ally brought  out  in  tlic  pulpit ;  and  when  to  these 
powers  are  added  Mr.  Jay's  great  knowledge  of  the 
holy  Scriptures,  which  enabled  him  to  dovetail^  as  it 
were,  all  the  statements  with  texts  suitable  to  his  sub- 
ject ;  his  general  information,  derived  from  his  exten- 
sive and  laborious  readings,  which,  having  a  most  re- 
tentive memory,  he  could  use  at  all  times ;  and  his 
great  knowledge  of  the  human  heart — I  need  not  say 
that,  with  his  vigorous  and  powerful  mind  brought 
under  the  influence  of  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
these  points  and  advantages  enabled  him  well  to  fill 
the  office  of  a  minister  and  teacher.  I  must  not  for- 
get in  this  my  catalogue  pf  excellences  for  the  pulpit, 
that  Mr.  Jay  was  the  simplest  creature  possible  to  be 
conceived :  his  sermons  were  all  delivered  without  the 


SUPPLEMENT   TO   THE   AUTOBIOGKAPHY.         279 

least  effort  and  difficulty,  and  so  simple  that  any  one 
might  have  said — nay,  indeed,  I  often  did  saj^ — I  could 
do  all  this  myself.  In  this  simplicity  of  dear  Mr.  Jay's 
preaching  I  consider  lay  one  of  his  chief  excellences  ; 
and  certainly  it  may  be  said,  that  by  Mr.  Jay  the  poor 
had  the  Gospel  preached  unto  them.  He  was,  at  the 
same  time,  a  most  sententious  preacher,  and  could,  by 
a  few  words  said  in  a  pithy  and  sometimes  quaint 
manner,  produce  a  wonderful  effect.  This  I  have  often 
seen  and  felt,  and  some  such  sayings  have  never  been 
obhterated  from  my  mind,  even,  after  a  distance  of 
many  years.  Although  this  was  often  the  case  to  a  re 
markable  degree,  yet  all  his  sermons  were  from  first 
to  last  most  interesting  and  powerful ;  and  no  individ- 
ual ever  kept  up  the  continued  attention  of  his  hear- 
ers more  than  our  beloved  friend.  He  was  emphat- 
ically a  textual  preacher,  never  wandering  from  his 
subject ;  and  in  this  point  he  so  much  excelled,  that, 
in  endeavoring  to  give  what  he  considered  to  be  the 
true  meaning  of  the  Scripture  he  had  in  hand,  he 
might  appear  at  different  times  to  preach  against  many 
of  the  preconceived  views  of  some  of  his  Christian 
hearers,  so  anxious  always  was  he  to  give  every  text 
its  true  interpretation,  without  reference  to  any  system 
of  divinity,  however  good  and  admired.  This  it  was, 
combined  with  the  great  variety  of  subjects  chosen  by 
him  for  the  pulpit,  which  made  it  necessary  to  hear 
Mr.  Jay  again  and  again,  previous  to  any  one  being 
enabled  to  come  to  a  proper  and  sound  opinion  as  to 
the  nature  and  exact  character  of  his  preaching.  One 
thing  more  I  only  will  add  to  the  list  of  qualities  pos- 
sessed by  Mr.  Jay  for  a  preacher,  and  that  is,  his  most 
melodious  and  well-modulated  voice,  by  which  he  in- 


280         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

deed  gave  the  'grand  truths  of  the  Gospel  through  a 
silver  trumpet ;  and  he  was,  in  my  opinion,  from  all 
the  combination  of  powers  I  have  now  mentioned,  the 
most  fascinating  preacher  this  country  has  seen  for 
many  a  day  ;  and  so  interesting  was  his  preaching,  at 
least  to  myself — and  I  hope  I  may  add  useful — that 
all  preaching  appeared  tame  after  hearing  him.     Tins 
may  perhaps  have  arisen  from  his  peculiar  style,  so 
unlike  any  other,  and  from  the  fact  that  during  about 
thirty-four  years,  when  I  had  the  privilege  of  hearing 
him  generally  twice  a  week,  and  sometimes  three  times, 
I  had  been  so  deeply  identified  with  his  mode  of 
preaching,  that  I  could  hear  no  one  else  so  well,  nor, 
I  think,  so  profitably.      It  was  not  only  preaching, 
but  teaching,  and  that,  too,  in  the  most  beautiful  and 
winning  manner.     The  simple  and  clear  way  in  which 
Mr.  Jay  divided  and  explained  all  his  sermons,  added 
to  the  attractive  style  of  delivery,  made  all  he  said 
easily  remembered,  and,  indeed,  so  attractive  Avas  his 
mode  of  preaching,  that  numerous  individuals  whom 
I  have  met  with  during  my  lifetime  who  have  heard 
him  only  once,  have  been  at  the  end  of  years  able  to 
give  the  substance,  if  not  the  division,  of  the  only  ser- 
mon they  ever  heard  from  his  lips.    One  of  many  such 
instances  I  will  now  relate.     A  few  years  ago,  a  cler- 
gyman of  the  Church  of  England,  now  dead,  called  on 
me  for  medical  advice.    On  seeing  in  my  room  a  print 
of  Mr.  Jay,  he  at  once  recognized  it,  and  inquired 
kindly  after  him.     I  asked  him  if  he  was  acquainted 
with  Mr.  Jay  ;  he  replied,  "No ;  but  I  have  heard  him 
preach  once,  and  I  shall  now  give  you  his  sermon." 
He  arose  from  his  chair,  and  gave  the  text,  Psalm  xvi., 
verse  3.     He  then  began,  and  at  once  I  saw  he  had 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGKAPHY.  281 

indeed  heard  him  preach,  as  I  recognized  the  well- 
known  manner  of  treating  his  subject.  I  inquired 
when  it  was  that  he  had  heard  this  sermon  which  had 
so  deeply  impressed  him.  He  replied,  "  Thirty-five 
years  ago.  I  was  then  a  student  at  Oxford,  and  pass- 
ing through  London,  I  understood  that  the  far-famed 
Mr.  Jay  of  Bath  was  to  preach  in  Surrey  Chapel.  I 
went,  and  I  have  now  given  you  -the  outline  of  his 
sermon,  which  I  shall  never  forget." 

One  other  instance  of  the  simplicity  and  attractive- 
ness of  his  preaching,  so  as  to  awaken  a  spirit  of  in- 
quiry in  a  child,  I  shall  relate.  Travelling  in  a  rail- 
way carriage  some  little  time  ago,  an  elderly  gentleman 
sat  opposite  to  me.  Finding  I  came  from  Bath,  he 
asked  me  how  Mr.  Jay  was.  I  told  him,  and  he  in- 
formed me  that,  at  the  early  age  of  eight  years,  he  was 
deeply  interested  with  a  sermon  which  he  heard 
preached  by  Mr.  Jay  at  Argyle  Chapel;  and,  filled 
with  a  spirit  of  inquiry,  his  mother  had  taken  him  to 
chapel ;  and  the  preacher  took  for  his  text  Acts,  ix. 
16,  "Come  over  into  Macedonia  and  help  us."  When 
he  went  home  he  eagerly  asked  his  mother  many  ques- 
tions regarding  what  he  had  heard,  as,  "  Where  was 
Macedonia  ?  what  help  was  wanting  ?  and  who  was  to 
go  over  ?"  Although  young,  it  made  him  desirous  and 
anxious  to  know  more  on  the  subject  which  had  so 
engrossed  his  attention,  and  the  recollection  of  the  ser- 
mon was  even  then  most  vivid.  I  have  already  said 
that  Mr.  Jay  did  in  his  preaching  often  make  a  won- 
derful impression  by  a  single  sentence  delivered  in  a 
powerful  manner.  One  of  these  I  shall  mention  as 
pressing  most  strongly  at  this  moment  on  my  mind, 
although  hear  1  by  me  many  years  ago.     He  had  been 


282    SUPPLEMF.NT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

preaching  on  the  repentance  of  Judas,  and  took  occasion 
in  the  discourse  to  attack  the  love  of  money,  as  one  of 
the,  if  not  the  principal,  sins,  of  the  Church  of  God ; 
and  at  the  close  of  one  of  the  divisions  of  his  subject, 
he  burst  forth  in  his  own  peculiar  and  emphatic  man- 
ner with  the  following  awful  sentence :  "  Avarice, 
avarice,  is  the  monsoon,  the  devil's  trade-wind,  from 
the  church  into  hell."  Another  at  this  time  presses 
itself  Ibrciblj  on  my  memory,  and  although,  j)erhaps, 
by  the  very  fastidious  it  may  be  said  not  well  fitted 
for  the  pulpit,  yet  at  the  time  of  delivery  it  made  a 
wonderful  impression,  and  now  is  so  clear  before  me 
that  I  must  give  it.  Mr.  Jay  was  speaking  of  the  glar- 
ing inconsistency  of  many  professors  of  the  Gospel,  and 
endeavoring  to  show  how  impossible  it  was  to  expect 
the  Divine  blessing  to  rest  on  half-and-half  undecided 
professors  of  rehgion.  He  rested  much  on  the  neces- 
sity there  was  for  decision  for  God,  and  the  clear  mani- 
festation before  the  church  and  the  world  in  the  be- 
liever's walk  and  character,  so  as  to  leave  no  doubt 
wlio  indeed  was  his  Master ;  and  in  the  midst  of  a  pow- 
erful appeal  pronounced  the  following  :  "  Some  of  you, 
my  dear  brethren,  are  so  inconsistent  and  undecided, 
that  if  at  this  moment  I  saw  the  devil  running  away 
with  some  of  you,  I  could  not  call  out,  'Stop  thief!' 
— ^he  would  but  carry  off  his  own  property." 

Mr.  Jay  I  would  call,  in  his  views,  a  moderate  Cal- 
vinist ;  but  never  was  shackled  by  any  system  of  di- 
vinity, and  never  feared  to  give  from  the  pulpit  what 
he  conceived  to  be  the  whole  counsel  of  God.  If  he 
apparently  met  with  difficulties  in  the  subject  he  was 
at  the  time  treating,  he  would  mention  the  circum- 
stances, and  leave  them,  without  an  attempt  to  combine 


SUPPLEMENT   TO   THE   AUTOBIOGEAPHY.         283 

what  was,  in  liis  opinion,  far  beyond  man's  finite  pow- 
ers. Thus  one  day  speaking  of  Judas,  he  said  he  was 
fore-ordained  of  God  to  betray  the  Saviour,  and  }-et 
he  betrayed  him  wiUingly,  and  is  damned  for  the  deed 
— having  said  so,  he  in  his  own  peculiar  and  well- 
known  manner  leaned  over  the  pulpit,  and  exclaimed, 
"  Now  do  not  look  at  me  for  an  explanation  of  this 
subject — both  statements  are  true — the  foreknowledge 
of  God,  and  the  free  agency  of  man — and  when  we 
reach  heaven,  and  not  till  then,  shall  we  be  able  to 
understand  all,  which  in  our  pr,esent  imperfect  con- 
dition is  quite  beyond  our  grasp  and  finite  minds." 

I  may  here  allude  to  Mr.  Jay's  great  faithfulness  in 
the  pulpit,  and  most  fearlessly  giving  reproof  to  any 
of  his  hearers  if  by  him  deemed  necessary.  One  in- 
stance of  this  is  now  most  vivid  before  me,  although 
it  happened  many  years  ago,  and  that  to  myself.  The 
valuable  and  most  interesting  course  of  lectures,  now 
forming  one  of  his  published  volumes,  under  the  title 
of  "  The  Christian  Contemplated,"  was  delivered  in 
Argyle  Chapel,  and  occupied  the  Sabbath  morning 
of  each  week  till  completed.  At  the  time  of  delivery 
I  was  much  younger  than  I  am  now ;  and  from  God's 
peculiar  dealings  with  me,  added  to  my  natural  char- 
acter, I  had  embraced,  more  than  was  agreeable  to 
my  beloved  pastor,  what  are  usually  called  the  high 
doctrines  of  the  Gospel ;  and  I  fear  I  had  more  than 
once  been  led  to  declare  that  I  considered  the  lectures 
from  their  practical  nature  to  be  Christless.  At  the 
close  of  the  delivery  of  the  last  lecture,  he  said,  "My 
brethren,  I  have  done  with  the  course  of  lectures  which 
I  had  announced,  but  I  have  not  done  with  those  of 
you    who  have    denounced  them  to   be  Christless." 


284         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

Having  said  this,  he  began  an  admonition,  of  a  wise 
and  useful  character,  in  tlie  following  striking  and 
forcible  manner:  "You  mushroom  Christians — you 
men  of  one  idea — ^you  who  would  have  a  minister  go 
round  a  few  of  your  fiivorite  texts  just  like  a  blind 
horse  in  a  mill — am  I  to  be  taught  preaching  by 
you  ?"  I  may  add  that  the  next  day  I  called  to  visit 
Mrs.  Jay  professionally.  I  met  Mr.  Jay  in  the  room, 
who  actually  was  looking  for  a  leaf  of  the  lecture 
preached  on  the  previous  day,  which  he  had  mislaid, 
and  in  his  own  quick  way  he  addressed  me  by  say- 
ing, "How  are  you,  doctor,  did  you  take  part  of 
my  sermon  yesterday?"  I  answered,  "Yes,  I  did." 
He  replied,  holding  out  his  hand,  "  Then  give  it  to  me, 
for  I  have  lost  a  leaf;  and  if  I  am  to  publish  these  lec- 
tures, I  must  find  it."  I  said,  "  No,  dear  sir,  I  have 
no  leaf  of  your  lecture,  but  I  did  take  part  of  it  not- 
withstanding," He  instantly  rej^lied,  "  Doctor,  if  the 
cap  fits  you,  wear  it,"  and  left  the  room.  I  do  hope 
and  believe  this  quiet  and  just  reproof  tended,  under 
God's  blessing,  to  make  me  more  prudent  and  cautious 
for  the  future. 

It  is  well  known  that  occasionally  Mr.  Jay  would 
engage  the  attention  of  his  hearers  most  powerfully  by 
the  introduction  of  an  anecdote  into  his  sermon,  which 
was  always  much  to  the  point,  and  told  with  much 
effect.  This  habit,  however,  for  several  years  previous 
to  his  retirement  from  the  pulpit  was  much  given  up, 
and  seldom  or  ever  indulged  in. 

From  my  long  and  intimate  acquaintance  with  Mr. 
Jay,  it  may  be  expected  that  something  ought  to  be 
said  by  me  with  regard  to  his  social  habits  and  char- 
acter.    Here,  however,  little  need  or  indeed  can  be  re- 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRiJ'HY.  285 

lated.  He  lived  in  such  a  primitive  manner,  as  to 
put  it  very  much  out  of  the  power  of  any  individual 
like  myself,  engaged  in  active  employment,  to  see 
much  of  him.  He  rose  at  five — ^breakfasted  at  seven 
— dined  at  one — drank  tea  at  five — supped  at  nine — 
went  to  bed  at  ten — and  this  I  may  say  was  a  general 
rule  without  any  exception.  He  was  most  regular  in 
his  daily  exercise  ;  and  one  of  the  many  reasons  which 
under  God  tended  to  give  him  such  a  fine  constitu- 
tion was  his  choosing  the  early  part  of  the  day  for 
his  pulpit  and  press  studies.  He  from  breakfast  till 
dinner-time  devoted  himself  to  this  work— and  after 
that  period,  he,  I  have  reason  to  beheve,  seldom  or 
ever  did  so — and  I  have  heard  him  more  than  once 
say  that  he  never  was  found  in  his  study  after  nine 
o'clock  at  night.  The  after  part  of  the  day  was  usually 
spent  in  exercise  and  general  reading.  His  mind  was 
so  well  stored  with  information,  and  his  memory  so 
retentive,  that  it  was  quite  a  treat  to  pass  a  short 
time  in  his  society.  You  never  could  be  with  him 
for  any  time  without  discovering  the  depth  of  his  in- 
formation, the  strength  of  his  mind,  and  the  easy  and 
simple  manner  of  his  conversation,  which  was  at  all 
times  so  interesting  and  attractive  that  you  had  much 
difficulty  in  leaving  his  company,  and  never  did  so 
without  admiration  and  instruction.  My  usual  time 
for  seeing  him  was  when  I  knew  he  was  at  tea,  and 
at  which  hour  I  often  contrived  to  be  professionally 
in  his  neighborhood,  that  I  might  have  the  pleasure 
of  a  little  conversation  with  him.  Mr.  Jay  was  all  his 
life  so  completely  accustomed  to  be  listened  to,  and 
not  much  to  listen,  that  perhaps  for  some  years  after 
I  knew  him  he  might  occasionally  appear  impatient  of 


286         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY, 

being  interrupted  or  contradicted  ;  but  that  indeed  was 
seldom  attemjytcd  by  any  one,  as  all  were  generally 
too  glad  to  hear  the  good  and  great  man,  whose  words 
flowing  from  him  were  like  the  dew  which*  watereth 
the  earth.  Mr,  Jay  was  a  man  with  whom  no  one 
felt  he  could  ever  take  a  liberty ;  and  of  all  men  I 
ever  knew,  he  was  the  only  one  in  whose  presence  I 
always,  in  a  manner,  felt  a  kind  of  reserve,  fearing  in 
any  way  to  give  him  the  smallest  offence ;  in  fact  I  had 
an  exalted  opinion  of  him,  and  gave  him  reverence. 

Like  all  on  earth  Mr.  Jay  had  many  trials,  and  none 
greater  than  the  long  and  severe  illness  of  his  first  wife ; 
and  I  may  I  trust  be  allowed  to  say,  without  any  fear 
of  misconception  in  the  mind  of  any  one,  that  he  grew 
much  in  grace  under  his  trials ;  and  when  I  add  that 
he  was  at  times  thankful  even  to  me  for  a  word  of 
admonition  or  encouragement,  it  will  I  think  be  evi- 
dent that  his  fine  mind  and  understanding  were  much 
brought  into  subjection  to  the  gTace  of  that  blessed 
Redeemer  whom  he  had  so  long  preached,  not  only  as 
the  atoning  Saviour,  but  the  bright  example. 

During  his  long  and  most  painful  illness,  for  nearly 
eighteen  months,  he  never  murmured,  but  gave  a  noble 
testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  and  its  being 
able  to  sustain  the  believer  under  every  trying  dispen- 
sation— he  became  in  liict  like  a  little  child; — and  in 
the  midst  of  great  sulforings  and  sleepless  nights,  over 
wliich  medicine  had  little  or  no  control,  he  was  enabled 
to  glorify  God  in  the  fire,  and  to  leave  a  powerful  and 
lasting  evidence  of  the  truth  and  efiicacy  of  that  Gos- 
pel which  he  had  so  many  years  so  truthfully  preached 
to  others.  Mr.  Jay  through  life  had  always  a  natural 
fear  of  death — that  is,  of  the  agonies  of  the  dying 


SUPPLEMENT   TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  287 

struggle — but  even  all  tliis  lie  was  at  last  quite  freed 
from ;  and  he  died  so  peacefully  and  quietly  that  for  a 
short  time  after  the  spirit  had  taken  its  flight  to  man- 
sions in  the  skies,  it  was  not  known  to  his  sorrowing 
relations  that  he  had  gone  home  to  Jesus.  "  Mark  the 
perfect  man,  and  behold  the  u.pright,  for  the  end  of 
that  man  is  peace  " 

MK.   jay's    familiar    EXPOSITIONS    AT    THE    PRAYER 

MEETINGS. 

Those  who  knew  Mr.  Jay  at  home  in  the  weekly 
round  of  his  duties  would  scarcely  deem  our  work 
complete  if  we  failed  to  exhibit  him  as  for  a  very  long 
period  he  had  appeared  in  his  vestry  on  a  Monday 
evening,  like  a  father  in  the  midst  of  his  family,  ex- 
plaining to  them  and  enforcing  upon  them  some  por- 
tion of  God's  "Word,  in  the  most  simple  and  familiar 
manner. 

It  is  believed  that  he  rarely,  if  ever,  made  any  writ- 
ten preparation  for  these  services ;  but  having  fixed 
upon  a  portion  of  Scripture  before  he  left  his  home,  he 
turned  it  over  in  his  mind  as  he  walked  to  his  chapel, 
a  distance  of  nearly  a  mile.  When  he  entered  his 
vestry,  he  took  his  seat  in  his  arm-chair  at  a  table,  and 
gave  out  a  hymn  in  his  own  peculiarly  feeling  and  de- 
votional way.  When  this  had  been  sung,  he  would 
call  upon  one  of  his  deacons  to  engage  in  prayer.  He 
then  opened  the  Bible,  read  a  text  or  a  fevv^  verses,. and, 
in  a  style  more  like  serious  and  engaging  conversation 
than  preaching,  spoke  upon  the  words  or  subject  in  an 
easy  and  colloquial  manner,  often  with  striking  origin- 
ality, point,  or  pathos,  as  the  text  might  require.  The 
hearer  felt,  and  could  hardly  fail  to  feel,  as  much  at 


288         SUPPLEMENT  TO  Till']  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

ease  as  the  speaker,  who  sat  all  the  time  as  if  in  your 
parlor,  conversing  with  you  on  your  spiritual  interests, 
and  the  great  things  of  God's  salvation.  V  specimen 
or  two  of  these  familiar  services  we  shall  here  insert. 
They  have  been  furnished  by  friends  who  were  accus- 
tomed to  take  notes,  and  of  course  do  but  imperfectly 
represent  the  original : — 

Psalm  xei.  ver.  11 :     "  I  will  set  him  on  high,   because  he  hath 
known  ray  name." 

This  psalm  has  sometimes  been  called  the  charter  of  the  believer's 
privileges;  and  in  this  sense  I  wish  you  were  all  chartists,  and  in  no 
other ;  for  I  do  not  approve  of  the  other  charter  at  all.  A  great 
man  once  said:  "  Tlie  whole  of  this  psalm  has  been  fulfilled  in  my 
experience,  except  tlie  last  clause  of  the  last  verse ;  and  that  will  bo 
fulfilled  I  am  fully  persuaded  within  an  hour."  Now  what  is  that 
verse?  "  With  long  life  will  I  satisfy  him,  and  show  him  my  sal- 
vation." The  former  part  had  been  fulfilled,  for  he  died  at  the  age 
of  95.  He  had  lived  long  enough,  1  should  suppose,  to  have  seen  all 
that  was  worth  seeing,  to  hear  all  that  was  worth  hearing,  and  to 
enjoy  all  that  was  to  be  enjoyed;  and  he  must  surely  have  known 
the  vanity  of  all  things  here  below.  But  what  is  meant  by  the  last 
clause  which  yet  remained  to  be  accomplished?  "And  show  him 
my  salvation."  This  is  future.  How  can  that  be  ?  The  believer 
is  saved  now,  that  is,  he  is  in  a  state  of  salvation,  in  a  state  of 
safety. 

More  happy,  but  not  more  secure, 
The  glorified  spirits  in  heaven. 

But  the  believei-'s  salvation  will  be  more  fully  shown,  when  Christ 
shall  say  to  all  his  redeemed,  "Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  in- 
herit the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world."  But  only  think  of  this  good  man's  saying, — that  he 
was  fully  persuaded  that  this  would  be  accomplished  within  an  hour ! 
Oh,  what  a  solemn  thought !  How  would  many  of  you  feel,  if  you 
knew  that  you  were  but  one  hour  out  of  eternity  ? — but  one  hour 
from  a  world  of  spirits; — that  in  one  hour  you  would  be  in  the  pres- 
ence of  your  Redeemer!  Beyond  the  reach  of  every  care.  There 
is  but  a  step  between  mo  and  death  !     Perhaps  there  is  but  a  step 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  289 

between  you  and — hell !  But  oli,  what  an  overwhelming  thought, 
if  there  is  but  a  step  between  you  and  heaven  !  I  remember  good 
Ambrose  sitting  in  his  chair,  feeling  the  pains  of  death  coming  over 
him.  he  raised  his  eyes,  and  exclaimed ;  "  Come,  good  angels,  and  do 
your  oiEce,  and  gently  waft  me  into  Abraham's  bosom. "  But  you 
will  say,  what  has  all  this  to  do  with  the  subject  ?  "Why,  it  is  a 
part  of  the  loaf  that  I  wish  to  divide  among  yoii  to-night ;  and  I  do 
not  think  it  much  signifies  where  I  begin  to  cut  first. 

Now,  "I  will  set  him  on  high  because  he  hath  known  my  name." 
The  name  of  the  Lord  is  often  put  for  the  Lord  himself.  Many 
texts  might  be  brought  forward  to  prove  this.  I  will  mention  only 
one ;  Ps.  Ixxvi.,  "  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower,  the 
righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe."  Kot  into  a  word,  but  into 
Jehovah  himself.  Now,  what  is  it  to  know  the  Lord?  People 
sometimes  speak  of  head-knowledge.  But  it  is  a  singular  express- 
ion ;  as  if  there  were  such  a  thing  as  arm-knowledge  or  leg-know- 
ledge. Where  should  knowledge  be  but  in  the  head  ?  At  the  same 
time,  it  is  very  expressive,  as  making  the  difi'erence  between  a  mere 
speculative  knowledge  of  the  great  truths  of  Christianity,  and  that 
knowledge  and  conviction  of  the  heart  which  is  here  implied.  Ah, 
what  pleasure  does  it  give  you  to  say — "I  kn'ow  such  and  such  a  dis- 
tinguished person."  "What  an  honor  would  you  feel  it  to  be  to  be 
able  to  say,  "  I  know  the  king  and  am  intimate  with  him."  Or, 
if  he  were  living,  to  be  able  to  say,  "  I  know  Milton,  and  am  inti- 
mate with  him."  But  the  Christian  can  say  far  more  ;  '  I  know  the 
Lord,  the  king  of  kings,  and  am  intimate  with  Him.  He  is  my 
Father  and  my  Friend." 

Now,  here  is  the  promise, — "  I  will  set  him  on  high,  because  he 
hath  known  my  name."  We  must  not  look  on  this  word  because  as  a 
condition.  Our  dear  brother  used  this  term  last  night,  and  I  began 
to  fear  lest  he  should  be  misunderstood.  But  he  afterwards  explain- 
ed himself  very  clearly.  Yet  why  should  we  use  a  word  of  doubt- 
ful meaning,  when  there  are  others  that  woiild  answer  the  purpose 
quite  as  well,  if  not  better  ?  It  is  true  that  some  of  the  old  writers 
use  this  term,  but  it  is  in  a  different  sense  to  that  in  which  it  is  em- 
ployed now-a-days.  Now  it  is  employed  to  signify  a  sort  of  claim 
that  one  has  upon  another  for  a  reward ;  but  they  used  it  to  express 
a  sort  of  connection,  that  God  would  do  one  thing  because  he  had 
done  another ;  thus,  because  God  had  given  faith,  he  had  also  given 
salvation,  and  in  that  sense  it  is  used  here. 

Now,  what  is  meant  by  this  promise — "  I  will  set  him  on  high  ?" 
13 


290         SUiPLEMENT  TO  THP>   AlTOblOGEAPHY. 

Is  not  Christ  risen  from  the  dead  ?  Has  he  not  ascended  above  the 
skies  ?  And  are  not  all  his  believing  followers  ascended  with  him  ? 
Is  not  this  to  ascend  on  high  ?  Cannot  the  believer  look  forward  to 
heaven  as  his  inheritance,  his  kingdom,  his  everlasting  portion  ? 
Call  you  not  this  high  ?  The  king  is  the  highest  civil  officer,  the 
priest  the  highest  ecclesiastical ;  and  God  will  make  all  his  people 
kings  and  priests  unto  himself,  and  their  kingdom  shall  be  an  ever- 
lasting kingdom,  and  their  priesthood  one  that  endure^h  forever. 

But  notice  not  only  the  promise,  but  the  agent  by  whom  it  is  per- 
formed, that  is,  God  himself.  There  are  many  kinds  of  promises. 
There  are  the  devil's  promises,— they  are  false  and  deluding.  O,  be- 
ware of  them !  There  are  the  world's  promises.  They  seem  all  bright 
and  fair  ;  but  what  are  they  ?  Only  vanity;  yea,  lighter  than  van- 
ity itself.  Then  there  are  men's  promises.  O,  trust  not  in  them, 
for  they  are  uncertain — often  deceptive.  But  there  are  God's  prom- 
ises. They  are  all  yea  and  amen  in  Christ  Jesus.  Lean  on  them, 
trust  in  them,  and  you  shall  never  be  confounded. 

"  0  for  a  strong,  a  lasting  faith, 
To  credit  what  the  Almighty  saith  ; 
T'  embrace  the  message  of  his  Son, 
And  call  the  joys  of  heaven  our  own." 

Another  Monday  evening  exercise  was  as  follows : 
— Having  read  the  words,  "O  Lord,  forgive:  0  Lord, 
hearken  and  do,"  (Daniel,  ix.  19,)  he  observed, — 

This  is  one  of  Daniel's  prayers.  The  Scripture  is  full  of  prayers, 
and  I  love  them  much.  Now  let  us  speak  of  Daniel.  He  was  a 
temperate  man.  This  will  account  for  his  haleness  and  vigor,  at 
least  in  some  measure.  But  he  was  rich  in  grace.  He  ha<l  been 
raised  from  one  stage  to  another,  till  he  became  prime  minister  over 
twenty-seven  provinces ;  yet  he  found  time  to  pray  thrice  every 
day.  Many  people  who  have  not  half  the  business  to  attend  to,  to 
what  he  had,  say  they  have  scarcely  time  to  pray  once  a  day.  Dan- 
iel was  highly  favored.  Three  miracles  were  performed  hi/  him  ; 
one  was  interpreting  the  king's  dream ;  the  second,  recalling  Ne- 
buchadnezzar;  a  third,  interpreting  the  handwriting  on  the  wall. 
But  one  miracle  was  perfolimed /or  him ;  that  was,  his  safotj'  in  the 
den  of  lions.  Twice  the  angel  Gabriel  came  to  him  with  the  words, 
"O  Daniel,  man  greatly  beloved!"     Some  will  say,  "  1  would  not 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         291 

have  told  him  that  to  his  face,  lest  it  should  make  him  proud."  But 
Gabriel  knew  better.  The  proud  are  always  the  most  backward  to 
praise.  The  reason  is,  they  judge  from  themselves ;  because  when 
they  are  praised  they  are  so  puffed  up,  they  think  others  must  be  the 
same.  The  celebrated  Dr.  Robinson  having  preached  three  times 
on  one  Sunday  at  a  chapel  in  London,  after  the  evening  service  a 
man  came  into  the  vestry  and  said  to  him, — "  This  morning,  sir,  it 
was  a  very  dry  opportunity  ;  in  the  afternoon  I  got  no  food  for  my 
soul ;  but  this  evening  you  have  preached  a  most  blessed  sermon, 
and  I  hope  to  live  in  the  enjoyment  of  it  for  some  time  to  come. 
But  I  hope  you  will  not  be  proud  at  my  telling  you  so."  "No,  no," 
said  the  doctor,  "for  I  have  no  opinion  of  your  judgment." 

Let  us  notice  this  prayer  before  us.  How  importunate  it  is  !  It 
is  not  one  of  the  sleepy  prayers.  If  a  person  were  to  come  and  ask 
a  favor  of  you,  and  were  to  fall  asleep  in  doing  it,  you  would  spurn 
him  from  your  presence.  Yet  how  often  do  we  act  so  with  the 
blessed  God !  The  first  thing  here  \&  forgiveness, — 0  Lord,  forgive  I 
The  second  thing  to  pray  for  is  attention, — "  Hearken  and  do."  Do 
what  ?  He  does  not  say  what,  and  I  am  glad  he  does  not.  If  a 
beggar  were  to  call  out  to  a  king  as  he  was  passing,  "  Hearken 
and  do,"  he  would  be  repulsed  for  his  impertinence.  But  how  dif- 
ferent it  is  with  this  King !  He  says,  "  Call  upon  me,  and  I  will 
answer:" — "Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive."  He  can  changethe  hardest 
heart ;  can  renew  and  sanctify  the  vilest  passions ;  and  can  make 
those  whom  we  imagine  to  be  beyond  the  reach  of  mercy,  "pillars 
in  the  house  of  our  God."  He  will  do  this  for  you,  if  you  apply  to 
Him.  He  did  not  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  cry  of  Daniel.  Nor  will 
He  to  your  cry.  Let  your  sins  be  what  they  may,  He  can  and  will 
wash  them  all  away  in  the  blood  of  His  dear  Son.  Blessed  be  His 
name. 

One  Monday  evening,  he  had  been  addressing  his 
people  on  the  importance  and  blessedness  of  humilitj, 
and  closed  his  remarks  by  observing, — 

"  How  beautifully  Bunyan  has  represented  the  shepherd's  boy  in 
the  valley  of  humiliation,  cheerful  and  happy,  while  singing, — '  He 
that  is  down  need  fear  no  fall,'  &c.  But  you  all  know  his  song,  and 
we  will  now  unite  in  singing  it,  for  it  will  do  for  us  as  weU  as  for 
him : — 


292         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

" '  He  that  is  down  need  fear  no  fall, 
He  that  is  low  no  pride  ; 
He  that  is  humble  ever  shall 
Have  God  to  be  his  guide. 

I  am  content  with  what  I  have, 

Little  be  it,  or  much  ; 
And,  Lord,  contentment  still  I  crave. 

Because  thou  savest  such. 

Fulness  to  such  a  burden  is 

That  go  on  pilgrimage  ; 
Here  little,  and  hereafter  bliss, 

Is  best  from  age  to  age.' " 

He  then  proceeded  with  the  following  verses,  which 
were  sung  in  succession,  as  if  they  had  formed  one 
hymn  : — 

"  Turn,  pilgrim,  turn — thy  cares  forego ; 
All  earthborn  cares  arc  wrong: 
Man  wants  but  little  here  below, 
Nor  wants  that  little  long. 

Then  shall  we  sit,  and  sing,  and  tell 

The  wonders  of  his  grace, 
Till  heavenly  pleasure  fire  our  hearts, 

And  smile  in  every  face. 

Forever  His  dear  sacred  name 

Shall  dwell  upon  our  tongue. 
And  Jesus  and  salvation  be 

The  close  of  every  song." 

The  impression  produced  by  the  mixture  of  verses 
and  by  the  climax  was  felt  to  be  highly  profitable  and 
elevating.  Those  who  witnessed  that  scene  will  never 
fo'get  it. 

It  was  at  one  of  these  week-evening  meetings  he 
finished  his  labors  at  Argyle  Chapel,  observing  at  the 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY.         298 

close,  "  I  shall  never  enter  this  place  again  ;"  adding 
some  remarks  of  great  tenderness  and  solemnity  to  his 
friends,  who  stood  round  him. 

On  the  21st  of  March,  1853,  he  went  to  the  vestry, 
intending  to  give  only  a  short  address ;  but  the  con- 
gregation assembled  was  so  large  that  they  were  oblig- 
ed to  adjourn  to  the  chapel.  He  selected  for  his  sub- 
ject the  appropriate  words  of  the  116th  Psalm,  verses 
1  and  2  :  "  I  love  the  Lord,  because  he  hath  heard  my 
voice  and  my  supplications.  Because  he  hath  inclined 
his  ear  unto  me,  therefore  will  I  praise  him  as  long  as 
I  live."  The  testimony  of  so  venerable;  so  faithful  a 
man  of  God,  laboring  under  much  weakness  and  pain 
of  body,  yet  with  all  the  devotedness  and  zeal  of  his 
youthful  days,  pointing  all  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and 
expressing,  with  touching  sensibility,  his  own  gratitude 
for  the  help  he  had  therein  derived,  was  felt  to  be  most 
deeply  impressive  and  affecting. 

The  following  Monday  evening,  March  28,  Easter 
Monday,  was  the  occasion  when  he  made  the  remark 
above  noticed,  that  he  should  enter  that  place  of  wor- 
ship no  more.  On  this  last  occasion  he  spoke  again  in 
the  chapel,  but  on  neither  of  these  occasions  from  the 
pulpit.  The  subject  was  taken  from  Isaiah,  liv.  17, 
"  This  is  the  heritage  of  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  and 
their  righteousness  is  of  me,  saith  the  Lord."  This  is 
described  by  those  who  were  present  as  a  most  inter- 
esting, solemn,  and  edifying  address. 

Thus  ended  his  public  ministry  in  Bath. 

The  following  testimony  of  respect  and  expression 
of  friendship  for  Mr.  Jay,  from  so  excellent  a  noble- 
man as  the  Earl  of  Gainsborough,  will  doubtless  be 
acceptable  an  1  gratifying  to  the  reader.     In  a  letter  to 


294         SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 

Mrs.  Edward  Jay,  written  since  the  solemn  event  took 
place,  the  Earl  of  Gainsborough  says : — 

"  Althoufrh  at  his  good  old  age  the  great  change  has  been  a  glori- 
ous one  fur  your  excellent  father,  yet  I  cannot  hear  of  the  departure 
of  my  long-loved  and  revered  friend  without  much  sorrow  and 
emotion,  and  deep  concern  for  all  thoseVho  have  sustained  so  truly 
irreparable  a  bereavement.  I  hope  his  last  hours  were  free  from 
much  suffering. 

"It  is  painful  to  me  to  have  been  out  of  England  ;  for  it  would 
have  been  a  real  gratification  to  me  to  have  followed  the  dear  and 
honored  remains  of  my  beloved  friend  to  the  grave. 

"  It  will  give  me  much  pleasure  to  hear  from  you,  and  that  Mrs. 
Jay  and  all  of  you  are  well. 

"  It  grieves  me  that  I  have  not  seen  dear  Mr.  Jay  lately ;  and, 
should  I  live  to  return  to  England,  it  was  one  of  my  pleasant  anti- 
cipations that  I  should  have  seen  him  once  more.  I  trust  that 
through  the  mercy  of  that  blessed  Saviour  he  so  long  and  so  ardent- 
ly served,  to  meet  him  again  where  friends  will  no  more  be  sep- 
arated. 

"  Believe  me,  my  dear  Mrs.  Jay, 

"Sincerely  and  affectionately  yours, 

"  Gainsboeodqh. 
"Naples,  February  4,  1854." 


PART     III 


PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER, 


A   SEEIES    OF   REMIOTSCENCES. 


WILLIAM    JAY. 


'  Clothed  in  sanctity  and  grace, 
How  sweet  it  is  to  see 
Those  who  love  thee  as  they  pass, 
Or  when  they  wait  on  thee." — Cowpee. 

'  Mark  the  perfect  man." — David. 


PREFACE. 

My  residei.ce  in  Bath  gave  me  many  opportunities 
of  multiplying  connections,  or  at  least  acquaintances ; 
and,  in  a  long  course  of  years,  I  liave  become  more 
or  less  intimate  with  many  interesting  individuals  from 
"Wales,  Ireland,  Scotland,  and  various  parts  of  England. 

Not  long  after  my  settlement  in  this  city,  I  found  a 
coterie  of  rather  singular  characters;  it  included  Lut- 
terbray,  the  celebrated  landscape-painter.  Sir  James 
and  Lady  Wright,*  Miss  Lace,  a  natural  daughter  of 
Lord  de  Spencer,f  Eev.  Briant  Hill,:]:  Miss  Charles 
Wesley,  &c. 

*  Both  these  lie  in  our  burying-ground,  and  their  escutcheons 
were  sent  into  the  vestry.  Lady  "Wright  was  the  sister  of  More, 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury.  None  of  the  family  attended  the  death 
or  the  funeral. 

f  She  was  a  woman  of  great  talent  and  much  learning ;  yet  I 
fear  from  her  neglect  of  public  worship,  and  a  prayer  (which  she 
showed  me)  written  for  her  daily  use,  on  the  principles  of  pure 
deism,  that  she  was  at  least  sceptical  as  to  th«  truth  and  importance 
of  Christianity.  After  some  injuries  which  the  tomb  of  Sir  James 
and  Lady  Wright  had  sustained,  she  repaired  it,  and  had  her  name 
engraved  as  the  repairer  in  the  corner  of  the  panel.  Some  may  re- 
member her  strange  flight  with  a  gentleman,  as  if  carried  off  unwill- 
ingly ;  also  her  throwing  away  a  camphor  bag  from  her  bosom. 

X  Author  of  a  poem  on  Italy,  and  brother  to  Sir  Richard  and 
Rowland  Hill. 

13* 


298       PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

All  these  occasionally  attended  my  preaching,  and 
I  was  personally  acquainted  with  them  all.  They 
seemed  alive  to  eternal  things,  and  to  be  in  a  state  of 
serious  inquiry.  They  had  their  own  private  and  so- 
cial meetings  (it  would  seem  for  various  purposes),  but 
I  could  never  learn  how  they  conducted  them ;  and 
they  held  some  occult  sentiment,  which  they  were 
neither  ready  to  explain  nor  to  recommend.  Many 
supposed  they  had  some  leanings  towards  the  conti- 
nental Illuminati. 

In  a  long  ministry,  and  in  a  varied  and  extensive 
intercourse  with  the  religious  world,  I  have  met  with 
no  few  cu'rioiLS  characters,  mental  and  moral  nonde- 
scripts ;  owning  no  party,  and  owned  by  no  party ; 
signalized  and  observable  by  uncommon,  strange,  pre- 
posterous opinions,  usages,  pretensions.  With  very 
little  that  is  romantic  in  my  frame,  I  have  never  been 
able  to  pass  by  such  anomalies  without  notice  and  re- 
flection ;  and  if  I  had  a  descriptive  humor,  by  a  little 
enlargement  and  coloring,  I  could  produce  reminis- 
cences enough  to  excite  wonder  and  ridicule,  laughter 
and  sadness. 

But,  oh,  how  many  have  I  seen  and  admired  in  the 
various  denominations  of  Christians,  who  have  been 
Israelites  indeed  in  whom  there  has  been  no  guile ; 
enlightened  in  their  principles,  walking  in  the  truth, 
consistent  and  uniform  in  their  conduct,  devoted  to 
the  cause  of  the  Gospel,  and  ready  to  every  good 
work;  and,  thougli  not  free  from  infirmities,  "adorn- 
ing the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things." 

These  are  worthy  of  observation,  and  remembrance, 
and  a  record;  and  we  arc  commanded  to  ^'■mark  the 


PREFACE.  299 

perfect  man,  and  hehold  the  upriglit,  for  the  end  of 
sucli  is  peace." 

As  I  have  not  found  many  of  these  among  the  very- 
rich,  so  I  have  found  none  of  them  among  the  abject 
poor.  Whatever  they  were  originally,  converting  grace 
made  them  temperate  and  dihgent ;  gained  for  them 
the  countenance  and  help  of  their  fellow-Christians, 
and  secured  for  them  the  favor  of  Providence,  so  that 
not  only  their  "  bread  was  given,  and  their  water  was 
sure,"  but  it  "  blessed  their  bread  and  their  water," 
and  made  "  the  little  that  a  righteous  man  had  better 
than  the  riches  of  many  wicked."  Lo  this  !  we  have 
proved  it — so  it  is — "I  have  been  young,  and  now  I 
am  old,  yet  I  have  never  seen  the  righteous  forsaken, 
nor  his  seed  begging  bread." 

I  here,  then,  notice  some  of  these  individuals,  in  va- 
rious conditions  and  circumstances  of  life ;  especially 
those  I  was  acquainted  with  in  the  earlier  parts  of  my 
ministry;  and  who  had  some  considerable  influence 
on  what  I  have  heen^  and  what  I  have  done^  and  what 
I  have  written. 

While  I  thus,  in  a  measure,  gratify  allowable  curi- 
osity, I  desire  and  hope  to  do  something  more.  Facts 
are  better  than  definitions,  and  exemplifications  than 
descriptions  ;  and  as  we  cannot  form  an  idea  of  love 
or  hope,  pride  or  avarice,  in  the  abstract — virtues  and 
vices,  excellences  and  defects,  are  best  shown  in  their 
subjects  and  actings.  And  is  not  this  the  method  of 
the  sacred  writers  ? 

Almost  every  memento  of  celebrated  personages  is 
desired  and  welcomed,  and  readers  are  anxious  and 
eager  to  catch  at  every  trifling  anecdote  that  helps  to 
form  a  conception  of  their  individuality,  or  to  connect 


800       PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

tlieir  private  history  with  tlieir  public  fame.  I  have, 
therefore,  rather  largely  brought  forward  several  more 
pubhc  and  distinguished  characters;  but  my  design 
extended  beyond  them. 

There  are  other  beings  who  deserve  attention,  and 
who  may  be,  as  examples,  more  within  common  reach. 
Johnson  has  said  that  "  there  is  hardly  a  life  of  which 
some  useful  narrative  may  not  be  furnished."  Yes ; 
there  are  many  who  never  see  a  college,  or  enter  a  pul- 
pit, or  publish  a  book,  who  can  serve  their  generation 
by  the  will  of  God.  They  embody  and  fulfil  religion 
in  their  private  stations ;  and  though  they  make  no 
figure  in  the  annals  of  worldly  renown,  are  great  in  the 
sight  of  the  Lord.  "Their  day  is  coming,"  called 
"  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God,"  when,  how- 
ever shaded  here,  they  will  "  shine  forth  as  stars  in 
the  kingdom  of  their  Father." 

Some  of  these  I  have  selected,  and  would  gladh^ 
have  noticed  by  name  many  more ;  but  I  have  been 
obliged  to  restrain  my  inclination,  and  confine  myself 
to  a  few ;  and,  had  I  chosen  much  humbler  individ- 
uals than  any  I  have  selected,  the  Scriptures  would 
have  justified  my  choice ;  for  while  they  leave  in 
oblivion  philosophers,  statesmen,  and  conquerors,  they 
furnish  to  all  ages  the  very  name  of  "  Ehoda,"  tho 
poor  damsel  who  announced  with  so  much  ecstasy  the 
presence  of  Peter.  Inspiration  says  nothing  of  the 
builders  of  the  Egyptian  jjyramids,  but  it  records  the 
names  of  the  "mid wives,  Shiphrah  and  Puah,  who 
feared  God,  and  for  whom  God  built  houses."  An 
oak  was  consecrated  to  memorialize  Deborah,  Ke- 
becpa's  nurse. 


PREFACE.  301 

"  Laurels  may  flourish  round  the  conqueror's  tomb, 
But  happiest  they  who  win  tlie  world  to  come : 
Believers  have  a  sileat  field  to  fight, 
And  their  exploits  are  veil'd  from  human  sight. 
They  in  some  nook,  where  little  known  they  dwell, 
Kneel,  pray  in  faith,  and  rout  the  hosts  of  Hell : 
Eternal  triumphs  crown  their  toils  divine, 
And  all  those  triumphs,  Mary,  now  are  thine." 

Cowper's  Epitaph  on  Mary  Higgini 

Will  my  readers  just  notice  what  follows,  not  as 
apologetical  but  explanatory? 

First.  As  I  profess  to  give  only  brief  sketches,  let 
none  look  for  anything  more. 

Second.  I  have  not  endeavored  to  observe  the  pre- 
cise order  of  time  in  which  intercourse  with  the  char- 
acters noticed  was  carried  on,  as  I  write  from  the  pres- 
ent promptings  of  remembrance ;  and  I  know  of  no 
cases  in  which  dates  would  have  contributed  to  the 
proof  or  importance  of  the  events  and  circumstances 
recorded. 

Third.  In  some  of  these  Eeminiscences,  I  fear  in- 
stances of  a  similarity  of  remark  and  reflection  may 
be  found  repeated.  But  I  was  not  able  to  compare 
them  for  the  purpose  of  such  detections  ;  and  the  re- 
currences may  not  be  useless,  being  found  in  different 
connections,  and  applied  to  different  purposes. 

Fourth.  I  hoped,  but  in  vain,  to  have  had  time  and 
leisure  to  transcribe  and  correct  the  whole  of  these 
hasty  and  free  sketches.  In  that  case  I  might  have 
reduced  some  parts,  and  added  others ;  but  I  should 
have  altered  little,  as  I  always  wrote  according  to  my 
knowledge  and  conviction,  and  only  spake  the  truth 
in  love. 

Finally.  Some  will  probably  censure  the  egotisms 


302        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

which  seem  so  much  to  abound.  But  in  a  work  of 
this  kind  references  to  myself  were  unavoidable  ;  and 
in  such  narratives  personal  circumstances  are  often  in- 
separable from  things  introduced  solely  to  illustrate 
somewhat  pertaining  to  the  character  itself  under  re- 
view. 

And  here  the  writer  must  be  satisfied  with  a  con- 
sciousness of  his  own  motives.  When  his  work  itself 
is  read,  he  will  be  out  of  the  reach  of  human  censure 
or  applause. 


REV.   JOHN  NEWTON. 

Me.  Newton,  once  the  vicar  of  Olney,  and  after- 
wards the  rector  of  St.  Mary's  Woolnoth,  is  well  known 
bj  his  remarkable  conversion,  his  various  writings, 
and  his  usefulness  to  the  church  of  God  at  large.  , 

During  my  first  visit  to  London  to  supply  Mr.  Hill's  |^  i  • 
chapel,  one  Friday  morning,  after  hearing  me,  he  came 
into  the  vestry.  I  did  not  then  know  his  person ;  but 
he  introduced  himself,  and,  to  my  surprise,  intimated  a 
wish  to  retire  into  the  house  with  me.  I  led  him  into 
the  study  ;  and  I  have  never  forgotten  the  condescen- 
sion and  kindness  with  which  he  addressed  me.  Tak, 
ing  me  by  the  hand,  he  said,  "  Some  of  us  are  going 
off  the  stage,  but  we  rejoice  to  see  others  rising  up  and 
coming  forward.  But,  my  young  friend,  you  are  in  a 
very  trying  situation,  and  I  am  concerned  for  your 
safety  and  welfare.  I  have  been  so  many  years  in  the 
ministry,  and  so  many  years  a  minister  in  London ; 
and  if  you  will  allow  me  to  mention  some  of  the  snares 
and  dangers  to  which  you  are  exposed,  I  shall  be  hap- 
py to  do  it."  How  could  I  help  feeling,  not  only  will- 
ing to  receive,  but  grateful  for,  such  a  seasonable  warn- 
ing ?  And  how  useful  may  the  aged  servants  of  God 
be  to  the  younger,  if  they  would  privately  and  freely 
communicate  of  their  expenences  and  observations! 


304        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

Some  of  tlie  things  he  mentioned  seemed  for  the  mo 
ment  rather  strange  and  needless  ;  but  I  confided  in 
his  wisdom,  and  time  has  fully  shown  me  that  they 
were  all  words  in  season. 

Contrasts  strike  us  ;  and  it  is  curious  and  useful  to 
observe  the  different  qualities  and  manners  of  good 
men  themselves.     A  week  after  this  interview,  one  of 

his  very  attached  followers  (a  Mr.  B y),  wished  to 

introduce  me  to  Mr.  Komaine.  I  can  truly  say  I 
shrunk  back  from  modest  timidity  ;  but  he  urged  me, 
and  prevailed ;  and  one  Tuesday  morning,  after  the 
service  at  Blackfriars  Church,  he  took  me  into  the 
vestry,  and,  with  a  few  words,  mentioned  my  name. 
But  Mr.  Eomaine  noticed  me  in  no  other  way  than,  as, 
immediately  leaving  the  room,  he  said,  very  audibly, 
"  There  was  a  Sir  Harry  Trclavvney."  I  inferred  that 
some  faithful  caution  was  intended,  but,  a  mere  youth 
from  the  country,  and  little  acquainted  with  the  relig- 
ious world,  I  had  never  heard  of  the  person  by  whose 
errors  or  fall  I  was  to  be  warned,  until  I  inquired.  I 
have  no  doubt  of  the  aim  of  both  these  admonishers, 
and  I  ought  to  have  been  thankful  to  the  latter  as  well 
as  the  former ;  but  severity  does  not  actuate  like  affec- 
tion ;  and  "  he  that  winneih  souls  is  wise." 

Mr.  Newton  also  invited  me  to  call  upon  him,  and 
to  his  kind  of  open  breakfast  I  soon  repaired ;  and  for 
years  afterward,  whenever  I  was  in  town,  I  availed 
myself  as  often  as  it  was  in  my  power  of  this  invalu- 
able privilege.  On  these  occasions  one  met  with  min- 
isters and  Christians  of  all  denominations  ;  for  he  lov- 
ed all  who  loved  the  Saviour,  and  all,  while  they  were 
with  him,  felt  themselves  to  be  "  one  in  Christ  Jesus." 

*Iu  the  family  worship,  after  reading  a  chapter,  he 


REV.   JOHN   NEWTON.  30o 

would  add  a  few  remarks  on  some  verse  or  sentence, 
very  brief,  but  weighty  and  striking,  and  affording  a 
sentiment  for  the  day.  Whoever  was  present,  he  al- 
ways prayec.  himself;  the  prayer  was  never  long,  but 
remarkably  suitable  and  simple.  After  the  service 
and  the  breakfast,  he  withdrew  to  his  study  with  any 
of  his  male  friends  who  could  remain  for  awhile,  and 
there,  with  his  pipe  (the  only  pipe  I  ever  liked,  ex- 
cept Eobert  Hall's),  he  would  converse  in  a  manner  the 
most  easy,  and  free,  and  varied,  and  delightful,  and 
edifying. 

Much  has  been  published  concerning  this  excellent 
man,  and  it  is  possible  that  some  of  the  few  things  I 
would  gratify  my  readers  with  may  have  been  report- 
ed by  others  who  witnessed  them ;  but  I  shall  mention 
nothing  underived  from  my  own  personal  knowledge 
and  observation. 

There  was  nothing  about  him  dull,  or  gloomy,  or 
puritanical,  according  to  the  common  meaning  of  the 
term.  As  he  had  much  good-nature,  so  he  had  much 
pleasantry,  and  frequently  emitted  sparks  of  lively 
wit,  or  rather  humor ;  yet  they  never  affected  the  com- 
fort or  reputation  of  any  one,  but  were  perfectly  inno- 
cent and  harmless.  Sometimes  he  had  the  strangest 
fetches  of  drollery.  Thus,  one  day,  by  a  strong  sneeze, 
he  shook  off  a  fly  which  had  perched  upon  his  gnomon, 
and  immediately  said,  "ISTow  if  this  fly  keeps  a  diary, 
he  '11  write,  '  To-day  a  terrible  earthquake  !' "  At  an- 
other time,  when  I  asked  him  how  he  slept,  he  instant- 
ly replied,  "I'm  like  a  beefsteak — once  turned,  and 
I'  m  done." 

"  Some  people,"  said  he,  "  beheve  much  better  than 
they  reason.    I  once  heard  a  good  old  woman  arguing 


S06        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

in  favor  of  eternal  election.  '  Sir,'  said  she,  'I  am  sure 
if  God  had  not  chosen  me  before  I  was  born,  he  would 
never  have  chosen  me  after.'  " 

At  another  time  he  mentioned  facetiously,  and  with 
his  peculiar  smile,  the  language  of  a  poor  good  woman 
when  dying, — "  I  believe  his  word,  and  am  persuaded, 
notwithstanding  my  un worthiness  and  guilt,  that  my 
Lord  Jesus  will  save  me  from  all  my  sins  and  sorrows, 
and  bring  me  home  to  himself ;  and  if  he  does,  he  will 
never  hear  the  last  of  it !" 

He  one  day  told  of  a  countryman  who  said  to  his 
minister,  "  You  often  speak  of  our  FORE-fathers ;  now 
I  know  only  of  three,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob. 
Pray,  sir,  who  is  \X\e  fourth  f'' 

He  also  more  than  once  mentioned  that  he  knew  a 
good  man  and  woman,  who  read  the  Scriptures  morn- 
ing and  evening  in  their  daily  worship,  to  whom  a 
gentleman  gave  a  foho  commentary  to  aid  them.  But 
after  they  had  tried  it  for  some  time,  the  husband  said 
to  the  wife,  "I  think  we  did  better  before  we  had  this 
great  book.  When  we  read  the  Bible  itself  only  it 
was  like  a  glass  of  pure  wine ;  but  now  it  is  like  a 
glass  of  wine  in  a  pail  of  water." 

One  day,  speaking  of  the  various  effects  of  afflic- 
tion, he  said,  "  I  lately  visited  a  good  woman  who  had 
just  had  her  house  and  goods  destroyed  by  fire.  I  said 
to  her,  'Madam,  I  am  come  to  congratulate  you.' 
'  What !'  she  replied,  '  upon  the  destruction  of  my  prop- 
erty ?'  '  No,  but  to  hail  you  on  your  possessing  prop- 
erty which  nothing  can  destroy.'  This  awakened  a 
surjjrisc  and  a  smile  in  her  tears,  like  a  sunshine  in  the 
showers  of  April.  '  What  enabled  the  Hebrew  be- 
lievers to  take  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their  goods,  but 


REV.   JOHN  NEWTON.  807 

knowing  in  themselves  that  in  heaven  they  had  a  bet- 
ter and  an  enduring  substance  ?'  " 

When  I  one  day  called  upon  him,  he  said,  "  I  am 
glad  to  see  you,  for  I  have  just  received  a  letter  from 
Bath,  and  you  may  know  something  of  the  writer," 
mentioning  his  name.  I  told  him  I  did,  and  that  he  had 
been  for  years  a  hearer  of  mine,  but  he  was  a  most  awful 
character,  and  " almost  in  all  evil."  "But,"  says  he, 
"  he  writes  now  like  a  penitent."  I  said,  "  He  may  be 
such ;  but,  if  he  be,  I  shall  never  despair  of  the  con- 
version of  any  one  again."  "  Oh,"  says  he,  "I  never 
did,  since  God  saved  me." 

I  recollect  a  little  sailor-boy  calling  upon  him,  with 
his  father.  Mr.  Newton  soon  noticed  him,  and,  taking 
him  between  his  knees,  he  told  him  he  had  been  much 
at  sea  himself,  and  then  sang  part  of  a  naval  song. 
Was  this  beneath  him  ?  Would  not  the  lad  always 
favorably  remember  him  ? 

One  morning  in  the  family  worship  he  read  2  Peter, 
iii.  1 — 9,  the  last  words  being,  "  but  is  long-suffering 
to  US-ward,  not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but 
that  all  should  come  to  repentance."  He  began  his 
exposition  thus:  "  These  words,  I  suppose,  are  a  hard 
bone  for  a  Calvinist  to  pick."  He  was  aware  that  one 
in  the  company  required  some  moderating.  This  per- 
son, a  little  too  forward,  as  well  as  too  high,  after- 
wards, as  we  were  at  breakfast,  rather  abruptly  said, 
' '  Pray,  Mr.  Ne^-ton,  are  you  a  Calvinist?"  He  rephed, 
"  Why,  sir,  I  am  not  fond  of  calling  myself  by  any 
particular  name  in  religion.  But  why  do  you  ask  me 
the  question?"  "Because,"  he  replied,  "sometimes 
when  I  read  you,  and  sometimes  when  I  hear  you,  I 
think  you  are  a  Calvinist ;  and  then,   again,  I  think 


308        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF   CHARACTER. 

jou  are  not."  "Why,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Newton,  "I  ara 
more  of  a  Calvinist  than  anything  else  ;  but  I  use  my 
Calvinism  in  my  writing  and  my  preaching  as  I  use 
this  sugar" — taking  a  lump,  and  putting  it  into  his 
tea-cup,  and  stirring  it,  adding,  "  I  do  not  give  it 
alone,  and  whole ;  but  mixed,  and  diluted." 

Another  morning  a  forward  young  man  said,  "  Pray, 
Mr.  Newton,  what  do  you  think  of  the  entrance  of  sin 
into  our  world?"  "Sir,"  said  he,  "I  never  think  of 
it.  I  know  there  is  such  a  thing  as  moral  evil,  and  I 
know  there  is  a  remedy  for  it ;  and  there  my  know- 
ledge begins,  and  there  it  ends." 

Another  morning  there  was,  with  several  other 
preachers,  sitting  in  his  study,  a  Baptist  minister,  a 
very  good  man,  who  had  appeared  to  some  dispropor- 
tionately zealous  in  making  converts  to  his  own  opin- 
ion.    The  conversation  was  turning  upon  the  choice 

of  texts,  "  Ah,"  said  Mr.  Newton,  "  Brother  S n, 

there  is  one  text  /  can  preach  from,  and  which  you 
cannot."  "Sir,"  said  he,  "what  can  that  be?"  Mr. 
Newton  replied,  "God  sent  me  not  to  baptize,  but  to 
preach  the  Gospel."  Mr.  S n  took  the  hint,  with- 
out the  least  offence,  and  no  one  laughed  more  heartily. 

As  my  brother-in-law  was  vicar  of  Olney,  I  some- 
times visited  that  hallowed  spot ;  and  as,  of  course,  I 
could  not  minister  in  the  chui'ch,  I  always  went,  when 
I  was  going  to  engage  in  the  meeting,  and  studied  my 
sermon  in  the  pew  where  Cowper  heard,  and  in  sight 
of  the  pulpit  where  Newton  preached.  "  Supersti- 
tion !"  say  some.  But  I  found  it  good  to  be  there. 
And  how  was  I  struck  when  at  the  parsonage-house  I 
went  up  into  the  attic  which  was  the  study  of  this  man 
of  God,  and  saw,  over  his  desk,  on  the  wall,  iu  very 


-^EV.    JOHN   NEWTON.  309 

large  letters,  "  Eemember  that  thou  ♦vast  a  bonds- 
man IN  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  the  Lord  thy  God 

REDEEMED  THEE;"  and  "  SiNCE  THOU  HAST  BEEN 
PRECIOUS  IN  MY  SIGHT  THOU  HAST  BEEN  HONORABLE, 
AND  I  HAVE  LOVED  THEE ; — et  unus  pro  omnihus  /" 

While  residing  at  Olney,  Mr.  Newton  did  much  to 
liberalize  and  harmonize  the  religious  parties ;  and  one 
of  his  candid  arrangements,  I  know,  continued  years 
after,  and  I  hope  does  continue  still.  It  was  this : — 
At  the  beginning  of  the  year,  the  Episcopalians,  In- 
dependents, and  Baptists,  blended  their  congregations 
three  days  following,  and  each  minister  preached  in 
his  own  place  a  sermon  to  the  young.  I  suggested  the 
propriety  of  a  httle  alteration,  viz.,  for  one  sermon  to 
be  addressed  to  the  young,  and  one  to  the  middle-aged, 
and  one  to  the  old.  As  another  proof  and  instance 
of  his  liberality  and  candor,  though  a  beneficed 
clergyman  of  the  Established  Church,  he  drew  up  the 
plan  for  the  Dissenting  Academy  at  Newport  Pagnell, 
which  was  placed  under  the  superintendence  of  the 
Eev.  Thomas  Bull,  and  supported  by  that  great  philan- 
thropist, John  Thornton,  Esq. 

In  those  days  pious  and  evangelical  clergymen  of 
the  Establishment  were  very  few ;  and,  owing  to  their 
sentiments  and  zeal,  were  often  less  regarded  in  their 
own  communion  than  among  many  of  the  orthodox 
dissenters ;  and,  therefore,  when  invited  by  them,  they 
scrupled  not  to  visit  them,  and  even  to  make  a  consid- 
erable stay  at  their  houses.  Mr.  Newton  for  many 
years  visited  Portswood,  near  Southampton,  a  place 
from  which  many  of  his  printed  letters  were  dated. 
Here  lived  Walter  Taylor,  Esq.,  a  dissenter  in  affluent 
circumstances,  and  block-maker  to  the  navy.     Under 


310        PRACTICAL   ILLl'STRATIONS  OF   CHARACTER. 

Ms  hospitable  roof  Mr.  Newton  commonly  spent  live 
or  six  weeks  annually,  and  while  there  he  sometimes 
lieardthe  Rev,  Mr.  Kingsbury,  Mr.  Taylor's  brother-in- 
law,  and  pastor  of  the  Independent  Church,  and 
preached  also  frequently  in  his  host's  laundry  to  his 
I'amily  and  workmen,  and  the  neighboring  villagers. 

Thus  he  speaks  in  one  of  his  letters  to  Mr.  Campbell : 
"  rfcrc  are  five  churches,  but  no  pulpit  open  for  me. 
But  Mr.  Taylor  has  opened  his  house,  and  made  room 
for  about  300  hearers.  I  preach  three  evenings  in  the 
week  while  I  stay.  We  are  often  full.  My  hear#rs 
arc  chiefly  from  the  neighboring  villages,  and  seem 
willing  to  hear  the  Gospel,  if  they  had  any  one  to 
preach  it  to  them.  But,  alas !  in  these  parts,  and  in 
many  parts  of  the  kingdom,  'the  hungry  sheep  look 
up  and  are  not  fed.' " 

Mr.  Romaine  also  for  many  years  annually  visited 
Mr.  Taylor  for  the  same  length  of  time;  but  he  would 
never  enter  the  meeting  at  Southampton  with  the 
famil}',  or  speak  in  their  unconsecrated  premises  to  the 
poor,  and  ignorant,  and  perisliing,  who  would  have 
hung  upon  his  lips.  Buthigh-churchism  had  no  scruples 
to  accept  the  accommodations  about  the  house,  and 
table,  and  carriage,  and  horses,  lor  these  were  not  schis- 
matics, though  their  owner  was.  A  Puse3'ite  would 
have  been  more  consistent.  He  would  not  have  gone 
in  with  the  uneircuracised  and  the  unclean,  nor  had 
fellowship  Avith  them — "no,  not  to  eat." 

I  remember  another  instance  of  Mr.  Newton's  can- 
dor and  liberality.  When  Dr.  Buchanan,  who  had 
been  much  befriended  by  him,  went  out  to  India, 
liolding  a  valuable  ecclesiastical  appointment,  he  seem- 
ed at  first  to  have  been  shy  of  the  BaptL^^t  missionaries. 


EEY.   JOHN   NEWTOISr.  311 

Upon  hearing  this,  Mr.  Newton  wTote  him  a  kind  but 
faithful  letter,  in  which  he  said  (I  had  this  from  his 
own  mouth),  "  It  is  easy  for  jou  (little  as  yet  tried  in 
character,  and  from  your  superior  and  patronized  sta- 
tion), to  look  down  upon  men  who  have  given  them- 
selves to  the  Lord,  and  are  bearing  the  burden  and 
heat  of  the  day,  I  do  not  look  for  miracles ;  but  if 
God  were  to  work  one  in  our  day,  I  should  not  wonder 
if  it  were  in  favor  of  Dr.  Carey."  The  admonition  was 
well  received,  and  this  great  and  good  man  became 
kind  and  friendly. 

The  first  year  I  went  to  London  I  heard  two  pop- 
ular clergymen,  who  were  going  through  the  same 
epistle — ^the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians.  Both  went  on 
leisurely,  and  from  verse  to  verse,  till  they  came  to  the 
practical  parts  and  relative  duties  of  husbands  and 
wives,  parents  and  children,  masters  and  servants, 
when  one  of  them  intimated  he  could  not  enlarge 
here,  for  the  grace  of  God  would  teach  them  all  this  f 
the  other  endeavored  to  do  as  much  justice  to  the  pre- 
ceptive as  to  the  doctrinal  demands.  I  need  not  say 
this  was  Mr.  Newton. 

Moderate  and  candid  men  are  the  most  firm  and 
unyielding  with  regard  to  their  principles.  Mr.  New- 
ton exemplified  this.  In  his  letters  to  persons  from 
Avhom  he  differed,  we  find  him  avowing  his  own  con- 
victions without  the  least  hesitation  or  reserve ;  and 
not  even  sparing  reproof  when  necessary,  and  without 
respect  of  persons.  Dining  one  day  with  Mt.  Henry 
Thornton,  I  remember  his  speaking  of  Mr.  Newton's 
curate,  Mr.  G nn.     He  said,  "  I  went  to  hear  him, 

*  How  came  the  apostle  not  to  know  this;  why  took  he  the 
needless  trouble  of  enforcing  these  duties  ? 


312        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

and  was  much  dissatisfied  with  the  lowness  of  his  ad- 
dress, and  the  manner  in  wliich  lie  spiritualized  his 
subject,  which  was,  '  I  will  make  you  fishers  of  men  ;' 
in  the  discussion  of  which  everything  with  regard  to 
fishing  and  fish  was  quaintly  and  facetiously  cxj)lained 
and  applied.  Deeming  it  very  objectionable,  and  likely 
to  cause  reproach,  I  wrote  my  complaint  to  Mr.  New- 
ton ;  in  reply  to  which  here  is  his  answer :  '  My  dear 
Sir, — I  fear  you  did  not  go  to  hear  my  good  man 
with  a  spiritual  appetite,  or  you  would  have  found 
food,  as  well  as  the  many  who  hung  on  his  lips.'  "  &c. 
Nor  did  the  able  and  enlightened  statesman  (Mr.  Thorn- 
ton), though  not  convinced,  take  it  amiss,  but  admired 
his  rebuker. 

Mr.  Newton's  intimate  connection  with  Cowper  is 
well  known.  Some  have  thought  the  divine  was  hu7 
ful  to  the  poet.  How  mistaken  were  they!  He  was 
the  very  man,  of  all  others,  I  should  have  chosen  for 
him.  He  was  not  rigid  in  his  creed.  His  views  of  the 
gospel  were  most  free  and  encouraging.  He  had  the 
tenderest  disposition  ;  and  always  judiciously  regarded 
his  friend's  depression  and  despondency  as  a  physical 
effect,  for  the  removal  of  which  he  prayed,  but  never 
reasoned  or  argued  with  him  concerning  it.  Hence, 
also,  on  the  other  hand,  when  his  niece.  Miss  C,  was 
for  a  season  in  the  public  institution  for  mental  dis- 
orders, in  visiting  her,  he  found  two  individuals  there 
whose  cases,  he  was  persuaded,  had  been  mistaken. 
He  considered  them  merely  as  subjects  of  spiritual 
distress  ;  and  he  not  only  conversed  but  corresponded 
with  them ;  and  I  remember  his  reading  some  of  their 
letters,  and  remarking  that  here  the  preacher,  rather 
than   the   physician,   was   wanting;    adding,  that   h^ 


REV.   JOHN   NEWTON.  313 

"  tliouglit  God  sometimes  placed  persons  there  to  keep 
them  out  of  this  mad  world," 

I  can  testify  to  a  case  in  some  measure  confirmatory 
of  this.  I  knew  a  female  whose  irreligious  friends, 
misunderstanding  the  nature  and  cause  of  her  com- 
plaint, had  sent  her  to  this  place  of  confinement.  Her 
distress  and  despair  arose  from  a  deep  conviction  of 
her  state  as  a  sinner,  and  an  utter  ignorance  of  the 
way  of  salvation.  One  day,  therefore,  seeing  a  gen- 
tleman passing  by  her  ward,  whom  she  had  known  at 
her  father's  house,  she  most  earnestly  pressed  him  to 
obtain  her  release  for  a  few  days,  during  which  he 
could  judge  concerning  her  state,  when  he  would  find 
it  was  not  derangement.     He  did  so.     The  gentleman 

was  Mr.  W n,  the  celebrated  oculist.     At  his  de- 

i'sire  I  immediately  met  her.  After  she  had  heard  me 
at  Surrey  Chapel,  on  the  narrative  of  the  Syro-Phoe- 
nician  woman,  she  retired  to  pass  the  remainder  of  the 
day  in  weeping,  not  tears  of  sorrow,  but  of  joy ;  for 
now  she  had  found  the  consolation  of  Israel,  the  balm 
in  Gilead,  the  Physician  there.  She  returned  no  more 
to  her  confinement,  but  some  time  after  married,  and 
I  believe  is  now  living,  an  excellent  wife  and  mother. 
There  are  cases  in  which,  in  this  respect,  it  is  extremely 
difficult,  yet  very  important,  to  distinguish  things  that 
differ,  both  as  to  ourselves  and  others. 

Mr.  Newton's  attachment  to  his  wife — I  was  going 
to  say,  was  extreme.  Some  have  wondered  at  this, 
as  she  seemed  to  them  to  have  few,  if  any,  attractions. 
But  neither  strangers  nor  friends  could  have  known 
her  like  himself;  and  we  may  be  assured  love  and  es- 
teem so  deep  and  durable  were  not  expended  on  little 
worth.     Besides,  Grod  had  in  many  ways  remarkably 

14 


314        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

employed  her,  both  as  his  preserver  and  beneiactress. 
He  has  told  the  public  what  supports  and  frames  the 
Lord  gave  him  at  her  decease ;  and  Low  he  inferred 
from  them  that  it  was  the  will  of  God  he  should  not 
lie  by  from  his  official  duties,  but  perform  thcni  as  at 
other  times,  regardless  of  the  opinion  or  censure  of  the 
world.  Accordingly,  the  reminiscent  heard  him  preach, 
while  she  lay  unburied,  from  "  He  hath  done  all  things 
Avell ;"  a  text  which  not  every  divine  could  safely  have 
taken  on  such  an  occasion.  He  also,  the  following 
Sunday,  preached  her  funeral  sermon,  from  Habakkuk, 
iii.  17,  18  :  "Although  the  fig-tree  shall  not  blossom, 
neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vine ;  the  labor  of  the 
olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no  meat;  the 
flock  shall  be  cut  ofi'from  the  fold,  and  there  shall  be 
no  herd  in  the  stalls ;  yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I 
will  joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation."  This  text,  he 
said,  he  had  never  taken  before,  keeping  it  in  reserve 
for  his  greatest  affliction,  should  he  be  exercised  with 
it.  And  here  a  curious  thing  was  observed.  When 
he  came  to  speak  of  Mrs.  Newton,  (which  he  did  with 
a  voice  rather  tremulous  at  first,)  he  said,  it  might  seem 
strange  for  him  to  speak  of  the  excellences  of  his  wife, 
but  he  hoped  he  might  be  permitted  to  mention  can- 
didly a  few  of  her  faults  or  failings.  He  then  spoke 
of  her  excessive  attachment  to  himself, — of  her  judging 
and  estimating  others  by  their  regard  to  himself,  &c., 
which  had  the  effect  (though  in  the  simplicity  of  his 
character  he  meant  not  so)  of  leading  his  hearers  to 
think  and  ask,  "  If  these  were  her  chief  faults,  what 
were  her  excellences  ?" 

He  always  seemed  to  have  a  present  and  lively  feel- 
ing of  his  obligation  to  Divine  grace  in  saving  him 


REV.   JOHN    NEWTON.  315 

from  his  former  state.  He  often,  therefore,  adverted 
to  it  in  his  conversation.  Perhaps,  with  regard  to  his 
profiigacy^  in  that  state,  from  the  subsequent  spirituality 
of  his  mind,  hke  Bunyan  and  some  other  good  men, 
he  spake  too  strongly.  Yet  he  must  have  gone  great 
lengths  in  guilt  to  justify  what  I  have  more  than  once 
heard  him  say, — ^that  he  had  so  sinned  away  the  ad- 
vantages of  a  good  education,  and  resisted  and  stifled 
all  his  convictions,  that  for  a  time  he  had  no  more  con- 
science than  a  brute ;  that,  do  what  he  would,  he  felt 
no  moral  reproof;  and  that,  when  a  disease  had  brought 
him  apparently  near  death,  he  had  no  terror,  and  would 
have  died  like  a  lamb. 

Though,  at  his  first  awakening,  owing  to  his  being 
then  engaged  in  it,  and  the  force  of  habit,  he  was  not 
struck  with  the  evil  of  the  accursed  slave-trade — ^yet, 
when  led  to  just  reflection  upon  that  subject,  no  one 
could  think  worse  of  its  enormity,  or  bewail  himself 
more  for  the  share  he  had  had  in  it.  To  this,  also,  he 
often  referred ;  and  one  day,  as  a  person  told  him  that 
the  Americans  had  dubbed  him  D.D.,  he  said,  "  I  al- 
ways resolved  I  would  accept  of  no  diploma,  unless  it 
came  from  the  poor  blacks." 

Not  long  before  his  death,  a  minister  I  well  knew 
visited  him,  to  whom  he  said,  as  he  shook  hands  with 
him,  "  I  suppose  you  will  expe(t  some  sentence  at  part- 
ing ?     Well,  let  it  be  this,— 

"  Beware  of  Peter's  word, 
Nor  confidently  say, 
'  I  never  will  deny  thee,  Lord ;' 
But  grant  I  never  may !" 

Alas !  that  this  kind  of  dying,  oracular  admonition 


316        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER 

was  lost  upon  this  person,  for  he  fell  under  the  power 
of  temptation ! 

I  saw  Mr.  Newton  near  the  closing  scene.  He  was 
hardly  able  to  talk  ;  and  all  I  find  I  had  noted  down 
upon  my  leaving  him  is  this, — "  My  memory  is  nearly 
gone  ;  but  I  remember  two  tilings :  That  I  am  a  great 
sinner,  and  that  Christ  is  a  great  Saviour,"  And, 
"Did  you  not,  when  I  saw  you  at  your  house  in  Bath, 
desire  me  to  pray  for  you?  Well,  then,  now  you 
must  pray  for  me." 

Mr.  Southey  says,  and  says  truly,  that  "Mr.  Newton 
was  a  strong-minded  man."  He  did  not,  indeed,  al- 
ways show  this  in  his  preaching ;  for,  owing  to  his 
ease  of  address,  and  illustration,  and  enlargement,  and 
on  which  he  could  lean,  and  the  numerous  claims  upon 
his  time  from  the  poor  and  afflicted,  and  visitors,  and 
correspondents,  he  frequently  entered  the  pulpit  with 
little  preparation  ;  and  frequently,  as  Mr.  Cecil  in  his 
Life  remarks  and  laments,  (and  which  he  himself  own- 
ed,) got  the  substance  of  his  discourse  between  his 
house  and  his  church.  Some  of  his  published  ser- 
mons are  exquisitely  natural,  and  simple,  and  intelli- 
gible, and  easily  remembered ;  and  would  be  much  bet- 
ter models  for  young  ministers  than  such  as  abound 
with  abstruseness,  and  elaboration,  and  pomp,  and 
finery. 

I  always  admired,  not  only  Mr.  Newton's  theology, 
which  moulded  doctrine,  and  experience,  and  practice 
so  finely  into  each  other,  but  also  his  composition. 
Not  a  few  of  my  younger  brethren  were  formerly  sur- 
prised at  my  calling  it  elegant ;  but  they  now  have  a 
much  better  authority  than  mine.  Cowper  has  ex- 
pressed his  preference  of  his  style  to  that  of  either  Gib- 


REV.   JOHN  NEWTON.  317 

bon,  or  Eobertson,  or  Hume.  His  volume  on  ecclesi- 
astical history  is  above  all  praise,  and  makes  every 
reader  lament  that  he  was  not  enabled  or  encouraged 
to  continue  that  work  to  our  own  times.  But  he  is 
most  known  by  his  admirable  "  Letters." 

I  heard  him  one  day  observe  the  sovereignty  of 
God,  not  only  in  the  choice  of  his  instruments,  but 
even  in  the  mode  in  which  he  used  them,  and  which 
often  did  not  correspond  with  their  own  wishes,  or  the 
expectations  of  others.  "  Hervey,"  said  he,  "  who  was 
so  blessed  as  a  writer,  was  hardly  able  to  mention  a 
single  instance  of  conversion  by  his  preaching,  and 
nothing  could  exceed  the  lifelessness  of  his  audience  ; 
and  I  rather  reckoned  upon  doing  more  good  by  some 
of  my  other  works  than  by  my  '  Letters/  which  I 
wrote  without  study,  or  any  public  design  ;  but  the 
Lord  said,  '  You  shall  be  most  useful  by  them  /'  and  I 
learned  to  say,  '  Thy  will  be  done !  use  me  as  Thou 
pleasest,  only  make  me  useful.'  "  What  thousands 
have  derived  repeated  profit  and  pleasure  from  the 
perusal  of  these  utterances  of  the  heart !  Nor  ever 
will  they  cease  to  be  found  means  of  grace,  whilst 
Grod  has  a  church  on  earth.  With  regard  to  myself,  I 
commonly  had  one  of  these  Letters  read  to  me  on 
every  Sabbath  evening,  after  the  labors  of  the  day  ; 
and  what  refreshment  and  profit  have  I  derived  from 
them ! 

As  numbers  of  his  letters  are  continually  issuing  in 
collections,  and  also  appearing  separately  in  periodi- 
cals, evincing  how  acceptable,  and  even  called  for, 
they  still  are,  perhaps  the  reminiscent  will  be  more 
than  excused  if  he  here  introduces  the  two  following, 
as  they  are  very  characteristic  of  th  e  man  and  his  manner. 


o 


818        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

The  first  was  addrossed  to,  and  given  mc,  by  Mrs 
Wathen,  wife  of  tbe  celebrated  oculist  to  the  king 
and  dated  from  Portswood  Green,  near  Southampton, 
July  26,  1799.     It  was  as  follows  :— 

"My  dear  Madam, — As  you  kindly  engaged  my  promise  to  write, 
I  need  make  no  apologies ;  you  will  receive  my  letter  in  good  part, 
and  I  am  sure  I  shall  write  it  with  a  hearty  goodwill. 

"  But  what  shall  be  the  subject  ?  Indeed,  properly  speaking,- 1 
have,  or  ought  to  have,  but  one.  This,  however,  is  very  comprehen- 
sive ;  I  mean  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified.  It  will  at  least  help 
to  fill  up  the  paper  if  I  give  you  some  account  how  I  have  in  gen- 
eral managed  it,  as  minister. 

"  When  the  Lord,  after  he  had  mercifully  given  me  some  experi- 
mental knowledge  of  the  Gospel  for  myself,  was  pleased  to  honor 
me  with  a  commission  to  preach  to  others,  1  found  myself  possessed 
of  an  infallible  medicine  fur  the  cure  of  all  diseases,  and  I  was  sur- 
rounded with  multitudes  whom  I  saw  were  sick  of  a  mortal  disease, 
and,  as  we  say,  at  death's  door.  I  thought  at  first  to  do  great  things 
with  my  catiiolicism.  But  I  soon  observed  the  fatal  disorder  I  wish- 
ed to  relieve  was  attended  with  one  very  discouraging  symptom. 
Most  of  the  sick  people,  though  I  could  read  death  in  their  counte- 
nances, thought  themselves  well ;  they  insisted  on  it  that  nothing 
ailed  them,  and  were  angry  with  me  because  I  would  not  believe 
them.  Some  of  tliem  could  scarcely  hear  with  patience  what  1  said 
of  the  power  and  skill  of  the  Physician  who  gave  me  the  medicine. 
Others  thought  they  might  apply  to  him  when  they  were  really  ill, 
but  at  present  they  had  no  need  of  him.  Oh,  how  I  labored  with 
some,  but  all  iu  vain,  to  convince  them  of  their  danger.  Now  and 
then  1  did  prevail  with  one,  who  then  thankfully  took  the  medicine, 
and  presently  recovered. 

"  And  as  1  and  my  fellow  practitioueis  were  daily  praising  the 
virtues  and  efficacy  of  our  medicine,  some  of  our  patients  learned 
to  talk  after  us ;  they  did  not  take  the  medicine,  but  they  praised 
it.  They  would  allow  they  had  been  sick  once  ;  but  now,  to  be 
sure,  they  must  be  well,  for  they  could  say  as  much  in  favor  of  the 
medicine  as  we  could  ourselves.  I  fear  many  died  under  this  mis- 
take. They  would  not  make  such  a  mistake  in  common  life.  Many 
go  to  see  the  table  spread  at  a  Lord  Mayor's  feast,  but  the  sight  of 
the  delicacies  which  they  must  not  taste  will  not  satisfy  the  appe- 


REV.   JOHN   NEWTON.  B19 

tite  like  a  plain  dinner  at  home.  But,  alas !  our  patients  were  not 
hungry. 

"  Some  felt  themselves  unwell,  but  would  not  own  it ;  they  tried 
to  look  as  cheerful  as  they  could.  These  depended  on  medicines  of 
their  own  contrivance ;  and,  though  they  suffered  many  things,  and 
grew  worse  and  worse  daily,  they  refused  to  try  mine.  It  was 
judged  by  one  too  simple ;  like  Naaman,  who,  for  a  time,  though 
he  would  have  done  some  hard  thing,  disdained  such  an  easy  rem- 
edy as  '  only  wash,  and  be  clean.'  Others  refused,  unless  I  could 
clearly  explain  to  them  all  the  ingredients  belonging  to  my  medi- 
cine, which  I  had  neither  ability  to  do,  nor  they  capacity  to  com- 
prehend. They  said,  likewise,  that  the  regimen  which  I  prescribed 
was  too  strict ;  for  I  told  them  honestly  that  if  they  did  not  abstain 
from  some  things  of  which  they  were  very  fond,  my  medicine  would 
do  them  no  good.  I  was  often  grieved,  though  not  so  much  as  I 
ought,  to  see  so  many  determined  to  die,  rather  than  take  the  only 
medicine  that  could  preserve  their  lives. 

"There  were  more  than  a  few  who  deceived  both  themselves  and 
me,  by  pretending  to  take  my  medicines,  and  yet  did  not.  None 
grieved  me  more  than  these  ;  but  they  could  not  deceive  me  long. 
For,  as  the  medicine  was  infallible,  I  knew  that  whoever  took  it, 
and  observed  the  regimen,  would  soon  show  signs  of  convalescence, 
and  that  they  were  getting  better,  though  they  were  not  perfectly 
well;  and,  therefore,  when  these  signs  were  wanting,  I  was  sure 
the  medicine  had  not  been  taken. 

"  I  have  not  time  to  enumerate  all  the  signs  that  accompany  sal- 
vation, but  I  shall  mention  a  few.  First,  a  broken  and  contrite 
spirit.  This  is  indispensably  necessary,  for  by  nature  we  are  full  of 
pride ;  and  God  resisteth  the  proud,  and  giveth  his  grace  only  to 
the  humble.  Secondly,  a  simple  and  upright  spirit,  free  from  arti- 
fice and  disguise.  It  is  said  of  the  blessed  man  whose  sins  are  for- 
given. In  his  spirit  there  is  no  guile.  He  is  open  and  undisguised. 
Thirdly,  gentle,  gracious  tempers.  If  a  man  like  a  lion  takes  my 
medicine,  he  presently  becomes  a  lamb.  He  is  not  easily  offended. 
He  is  very  easily  reconciled ;  he  indulges  no  anger ;  he  harbors  no 
resentment ;  he  lives  upon  forgiveness  himself,  and  is  therefore 
ready  to  forgive,  if  he  has  aught  against  any.  Fourthly,  benevo- 
lence, kindness,  and  an  endeavor  to  please,  in  opposition  to  that 
ielfishness  which  is  our  natural  character.  Fifthly,  a  spiritual  mind, 
«rhieh  is  the  beginning  of  life  and  peace ;  a  weanedness  from  the 


320        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

worUl  and  its  poor  toys,  ami  a  tliirst  for  communion  with  God  through 
Christ. 

"I  could  go  on,  but  let  this  suffice.  These  signs  are  at  first  ■weak, 
for  a  Christian  is  a  child  before  he  is  a  man  ;  but  grace  grows  by  ex- 
ercise, by  experience,  and  by  a  diligent  use  of  the  appointed  means. 
My  medicine  enlightens  the  understanding,  softens  the  heart,  and 
gives  a  realizing  of  what  the  Scriptures  declare  of  the  glorious  per- 
son, the  wonderful  love,  the  bitter  sufferings,  of  the  Saviour,  and 
the  necessity  and  efficacy  of  his  death  and  agonies  upon  the  Cross. 
When  these  things  are  understood  by  the  teachings  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  (whose  influence  is  always  afforded  to  those  that  take  the 
medicine,)  the  cure  is  already  begun  ;  all  the  rest  will  follow,  and 
the  2^iiticnt  recovers  apace ;  though  there  are  sometimes  transient 
relapses,  and  a  spice  of  the  old  disorder  will  hang  about  them,  un- 
til they  are  removed  to  the  pure  air  of  a  better  world. 

"  I  hope,  my  dear  madam,  this  medicine  is  your  food,  that  you 
live  upon  it,  and  feel  the  salutary  effects  of  it  every  day.  Oh,  what 
love  I  that  such  a  Saviour  should  die  for  such  sinners  as  we  are ;  and 
what  a  marvellous  mercy  to  me  that  I  should  be  brought  from  the 
horrid  wilds  of  Africa  to  proclaim  his  goodness !  That  I  who  was 
an  infidel,  a  blasphemer,  and  a  profligate,  should  be  spared  to  stand 
as  a  proof  that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  the  chief 
of  sinners!  You  and  I  are  far  advanced  in  years;  we  know  not 
what  a  day  may  bring  forth.  Perhaps  we  may  never  meet  upon 
earth ;  but,  oh !  may  we  meet  above,  to  praise  Ilim  who  loved  us, 
and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood  1  to  partake  of  that 
fulness  of  joy,  and  to  di-ink  of  those  rivers  of  pleasure,  which  are  at 
His  right  hand  for  evermore ! 

"  John  Newton. 

"Portswood  Green,  July  2Gth,  1799.' 

The  second  was  addressed  to  a  sister  of  mj  wife, 

Mrs.  H 11,  on  a  domestic  bereavement ;  the  date 

worn  off.     The  following  is  a  coj^y  : — 

"  My  dear  Madam, — Upon  returning  home  last  night,  I  found 
your  favor,  dated  the  10th.  I  must  begin  to  write  immediately,  as 
I  am  very  busy  ;  but  other  business  must  wait  till  you  are  answered. 
I  have  thought  of  you  and  yours  almost  continually  since  Monday 
evening,  when  I  fiist  heard  the  afl'ecting  news.     I  have  felt  for  you 


EEV.   JOHN   NEWTON.  821 

and  your  family,  and  Mr.  H 11.     I  called  on  him  on  Tuesday, 

and  dropped  my  tear  with  his.     I  had  proposed  going  on  to  G 

Street,  but  he  told  me  yon  were  gone  to  S .     And  now,  what 

shall  I  say  ?  I  also  have  seen  affliction  ;  I  have  been  wounded  where 
my  feelings  were  most  sensible ;  and  I  have  found,  as  you  now  find, 
that  the  Lord  is  all  sufficient,  and  can  bear  us  up  under  the  severest 
trials.  I  congratulate  you  on  the  comfortable  words  she  spoke  be- 
fore she  went  home.  I  longed  to  hear  such  language  from  my  dear 
Mary.  I  thought  it  would  be  a  great  alleviation  to  the  stroke, 
but  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  show  me  he  could  support  me  without 
it.  I  bless  his  name  T  have  good  reason  to  hope  and  believe  she 
is  now  before  the  throne,  but  during  the  latter  part  of  her  illness 
her  mind  was  overwhelmed  with  a  black  cloud  of  dark  and  dread- 
ful temptations.  They  were  mercifully  removed  before  her  depart- 
ure, but  not  till  she  was  brought  too  low  to  be  able  to  speak. 
She  could  only  wave  her  hand  as  a  token  that  the  bitterness  of 
death  was  past.  I  often  think  how  our  Queen's  parents  felt  when 
our  King  sent  to  demand  her  in  marriage.  I  suppose  when  she 
left  them  they  did  not  expect  to  see  her  again  ;  in  this  sense  she 
was  dead  to  them.  Yet  it  was  not  considered  a  subject  of  condo- 
lence ;  neither  they  nor  their  court  went  into  mourning  for  her ; 
on  the  contrary,  there  was  much  rejoicing ;  they  thought  she  was 
going  to  be  Queen  of  Great  Bi'itain,  and  the  hope  of  hearing  of 
her  welfare  and  prosperity  made  amends  for  the  loss  of  her  com- 
pany, and  they  gave  their  full  and  cheerful  consent  to  her  coming 
hither.  But  if  a  woman  were  raised  even  from  a  dunghill  to  be  a 
queen,  it  would  be  a  small  thing  compared  with  the  change  Mrs. 

W has   experienced.     Far  superior  to  all  the   queens   of  the 

earth,  she  is  now  equal  to  the  angels ;  yea,  much  more,  nearly  re- 
lated to  Him  whom  all  the  angels  worship.  "We  cannot  hear  di- 
rectly/rom  her,  but  we  may  hear  of  her  as  often  as  we  please ;  the 
good  Word  of  God  tells  us  where  she  is,  and  how  she  is ;  we  know 
not  the  local  spot,  but  she  is  with  her  Saviour ;  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain  has  brought  her  home  to  himself  to  see  his  glory ;  she  has 
done  with  sin,  sorrow,  and  pain  forever ;  she  feeds  upon  the  fruit 
of  the  tree  of  life,  and  drinks  at  the  fountain  head  of  happiness ; 
the  glory  of  the  Lord  which  she  continually  beholds  has  transformed 
her  fully  into  the  same  image ;  she  sees  Him  as  He  is,  and  by  that 
eight  she  is  become  like  Him,  to  the  utmost  measure  of  creature  ca- 
pacity. Is,  then,  her  removal  to  be  bewailed  as  a  calamity  ?  I 
know  that  as  a  mother  you  must  feel ;  may  all  your  painfal  feelings 

14* 


322        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTKAIIONS   OF   CHARACTER. 

be  sanctified !  but  I  rather  call  upon  to  rejoice ;  your  daughter  is 
daugliter  to  the  great  King;  slie  is  now  clothed  with  light  and 
glory  ;  it  is  but  a  short  S(.'paratioii ;  you  will  follow  her  soon,  and  I 
trust  that  all  j'our  daughters  will  in  due  time  follow  3-ou.     May  I 

meet  you  all  there  1     Miss  C unites  with  me  in  cordial  [love]  to 

you,  to  them,  and  to  Mrs.  P ,  if  with  you. 

I  am, 
"  Your  very  affectionate,  and  much  obliged, 

"John  Newton." 

Besides  two  or  three  volumes  of  his  letters  which  he 
published  liimself,  or  left  selected  and  arranged  for 
publication  after  his  death,  there  are  before  the  public 
his  letters  to  Cowper  the  poet,  to  Mr.  Wilberforce, 
and  Mrs.  More  (inserted  in  their  lives) ;  his  letters  to 
the  Rev.  Samuel  Palmer  ;  his  letters  to  the  Rev.  John 
Campbell;  his  letters  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Coffin;  and  his 
letters  to  Mr.  Jones,  a  deacon  of  an  Independent 
church ;  and  a  volume  of  letters  called  "  The  Aged 
Pilgrim;"  and  his  letters  (to  the  Rev.  William  Bull). 
To  all  these  we  may  add  those  that  have  appeared 
singly  in  the  Christian  Observer^  the  Guardian^  the 
Evangelical  Magazine^  the  Congregational  Magazine^  &o. ; 
and  yet  the  letters  in  print  are  nothing  to  the  number 
he  wrote ! 

One  star  differs  from  another  star  in  glory.  True : 
religion  exists  in  various  degrees.  Nehemiah  not  only 
feared  God,  but  feared  God  above  many ;  and  the  good 
ground  yielded  thirty,  sixty,  and  an  hundred  fold.  I 
deem  Mr.  Newton  the  most  perfect  instance  of  the 
spirit  and  temper  of  Cbristianit}^  I  ever  knew — shall  I 
say  with  the  exception  ? — no.  but  with  the  addition  of 
Cornelius  Winter  ? 


REV.  JOHN  RYLAND,  Senior,  M.  A. 

Mr.  Ryland  resided  at  Northampton  as  tlie  pastor 
of  the  Baptist  church,  where  also,  for  many  years,  he 
kept  a  large  and  flourishing  s6hool.  He  had,  when  I 
became  acquainted  with  him,  no  pastorate,  but  preached 
occasionally  for  any  of  his  brethren.  His  residence 
was  then  at  Enfield,  where  he  had  a  seminary  ;  but  he 
passed  his  vacations  at  the  house  of  one  of  his  sons 
who  carried  on  trade  in  Blackfiiars  Road.  There  he 
was  all  the  time  of  my  first  and  second  engagements 
at  Surrey  Chapel ;  and,  as  the  chapel  was  near,  he  fre- 
quently heard  me,  and  I  gained  his  approbation  and 
attachment. 

He  was  a  peculiar  character,  and  had  many  things 
about  him  outre  and  hizarre,  as  the  French  would  call 
them ;  but  those  who  have  heard  him  represented  as 
made  up  only  of  these  are  grossly  imposed  upon.  We 
are  far  from  justifying  all  his  bold  sayings  and  occa- 
sional sallies  of  temperament ;  but  as  those  who  knew 
him  can  testify,  he  was  commonly  grave,  and  habitually 
sustained  a  dignified  deportment ;  and  he  had  excel- 
lences which  more  than  balanced  his  defects.  His  ap- 
prehension, imagination,  and  memory,  to  use  an  ex- 
pression of  his  own,  rendered  his  brains  like  fish-hooks, 
which   seizf^d   and  retained   everything  within  their 


324        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

reach.  His  preaching  was  probably  unique,  occasion- 
all}^  overstepping  the  proprieties  of  the  pulpit,  but 
grappling  much  with  conscience,  and  dealing  out  the 
most  tremendous  blows  at  error,  sin,  and  the  mere 
forms  of  godliness. 

Mr.  Ilall  has  said  in  print,  "He  was  a  most  extra- 
ordinary man,  and  rarely,  if  ever,  has  full  justice  been 
done  to  his  character."  And  Mr.  Hervey,  rector  of 
Weston  Farell,  often  entertained  him  at  his  parsonage, 
and  kept  up  a  frequent  correspondence  with  him,  as 
may  be  seen  in  seventy  of  his  letters  inserted  in  his 
life  by  Mr.  Eyland.  These  letters  show,  not  only  the 
value  he  attached  to  Mr.  Ryland's  friendship,  but  the 
confidence  he  placed  even  in  his  judgment,  consulting 
him  with  regard  to  his  own  several  publications,  as 
well  as  desiring  his  opinion  of  the  works  of  others. 

The  first  time  I  ever  met  Mr.  Eyland  was  at  the 
house  of  a  wholesale  linendraper  in  Cheapside.     The 

owner,  Mr.   B h,  told  him  one  day,  as  he  called 

upon  him,  that  I  was  in  the  parlor,  and  desired  him  to 
go  in,  and  he  would  soon  follow.  At  this  moment  I 
did  not  personally  know  him.  He  was  singular  in  his 
apj)earance ;  his  shoes  were  square-toed;  liis  wig  was 
five-storied  behind ;  the  sleeves  of  his  coat  were  pro- 
fusely large  and  open ;  and  the  flaps  of  his  waistcoat 
encroaching  upon  his  knees.  I  was  struck  and  awed 
with  his  figure ;  but  what  could  I  think  when,  walk- 
ing towards  mc,  he  laid  hold  of  me  by  the  collar,  and, 
shaking  his  fist  in  my  face,  he  roared  out,  "  Young 
man,  if  you  let  the  people  of  Surrey  Chapel  make  you 
proud,  I  '11  smite  you  to  the  ground !"  But  then,  in- 
stantly dropping  his  voice,  and  taking  me  by  the 
hand,   he   made  me  sit  down  by  his  side,  and  said. 


REV.   JOHN   RYLAND,    SENIOE,    M.A.  825 

"Sir,  nothing  can  equal  the  folly  of  some  hearers ;  they 
are  like  apes  that  Img  their  young  ones  to  death."  He 
then  mentioned  two  promising  young  ministers  who 
had  come  to  town,  had  been  injured  and  spoiled  by 
popular  caressings ;  adding  other  seasonable  and  useful 
remarks. 

From  this  strange  commencement  a  peculiar  in- 
timacy ensued.  We  were  seldom  a  day  apart  during 
my  eight  weeks'  continuance  in  town,  and  the  inter- 
course was  renewed  the  following  year,  when  we  were 
both  in  town  again  at  the  same  time.  As  the  chapel 
was  very  new,  and  spacious,  he  obtained  leave  from 
the  managers  to  deliver  in  it  a  course  of  philosophical 
lectures,  Mr.  Adams,  the  celebrated  optician,  aiding 
him  in  the  experimental  parts.  The  lectures  were  on 
Friday  mornings,  at  the  end  of  which  there  was  al- 
ways a  short  sermon  at  the  reading-desk ;  and  the  lec- 
turer would  say  to  his  attendants,  "You  have  been 
seeing  the  works  of  the  Grod  of  Nature ;  now  go  yon- 
der, and  hear  a  Jay  talk  of  the  works  of  the  God  of 
Grace." 

As  I  was  then  single,  and  had  the  chapel-house  to 
myself,  he  soon  found  its  roominess  and  quiet  more 
agreeable  than  the  noise  of  grandchildren ;  and,  as  he 
did  not  dissent  much  from  Mr.  Berridge's  notion,  that 
prudence  is  a  rascally  virtue,  he  quartered  himself  too 
much  upon  me,  often  bringing  over  his  friends  with 
him  ;  regardless  of  the  fact  that  I  was  not  the  owner 
but  only  the  occupier  of  the  dwelling.  As  I  was  near, 
and  rose  early  (as  he  also  did),  he  soon  tuimed  me  also 
to  some  account.  He  was  often  publishing,  and  was 
fonder  of  dictating  than  of  writing.  I  was  therefore 
gradually  and  increasingly  drawn  in  to  be  his  aman- 


826        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTllATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

uensis ;  and  at  diflferent  times  I  wrote  from  his  lips  his 
"  Qualifications  of  an  able  Expositor"  for  Scott's  Bible ; 
"  The  Corner  Stone  of  the  British  Constitution  ;"  "  Ad- 
dress to  the  Youth  of  England  and  France ;"  and  a 
large  proportion  of  the  '  Life  of  James  Hervey."  His 
publications  were  very  numerous  ;  too  numerous  for 
the  contents  to  be  distinct  and  finished ;  yet  all  abound- 
ed with  strong  and  striking  passages. 

As  he  was  eccentric,  and  eccentricity  often  appears 
like  a  degree  of  derangement,  and  with  some  always 
passes  for  it,  this  perhaps  considerably  affected  the 
circulation  and  influence  of  his  various  works,  /was 
struck  with  him  as  an  original,  and  only  viewed  him 
as  eccentric.  His  conversation,  and  illustrations,  and 
expressions,  were  frequently  very  uncommon  and  im- 
pressive. His  mind  was  never  quiescent.  He  always 
seemed  laboring  to  throw  off"  something  fresh  and  forc- 
ible, not  only  in  his  public  discourses,  but  in  his  or- 
dinary conversation.  He  sometimes  failed,  and  you 
had  (yet  rarely)  only  extravagance ;  but  he  sometimes 
succeeded,  and  persons  of  some  mind  must  have  been 
surprised  at  his  fine  touches  and  strokes  of  genius.  As 
to  myself,  I  derived  no  little  advantage  from  him.  He 
was  full  of  information,  and  ready  to  communicate. 
He  seized  my  mind,  and  was  always  leading  me  to 
think.  By  his  commendations  he  cheered  and  encour- 
aged me,  and  several  of  his  counsels  and  admonitions 
guided  my  youth,  and  have  not  been  forgotten  through 
life.  One  of  them  he  often  repeated  :  it  was  against 
sitting  up  late  for  study.  He  dwelt  on  the  baneful 
consequences  of  this  practice,  and  ran  over  several  in- 
stances in  which  good  and  useful  men  had  been  suf- 
ferers by  it,  losing  their  health,  and  shortening  their 


REV.   JOHN   RYLAND,   SENIOR,    A.M.  327 

days ;  and  when  I  took  my  leave  of  him  at  our  first 
parting,  he  exclaimed,  with  a  stentorian  voice,  "  If 
ever  you  are  in  your  study  after  nine  o'clock,  I  wish 
{expressing  a  terrific  object)  may  appear,  and  drive  you 
to  bed  !"  I  do  not  think  I  have  ever  transgressed  this 
rule ;  and,  if  I  had,  I  should  not  certainly  have  ex- 
pected such  0  sight ;  yet  I  have  never  been  there  at 
the  approach  of  the  ninth  hour  without  remembering 
the  tender  wish  ;  and  to  preserve  it  from  oblivion  was 
his  design  in  clothing  it  with  such  terror. 

He  never  seemed  so  much  in  his  element  as  when 
he  had  those  around  him  who  were  not  only  willing  to 
receive,  but  eager  to  draw  forth  from  his  ample  stores. 
The  young  could  never  leave  his  company  unaffected 
and  uninstructed.  I  once  passed  a  day  at  his  house. 
It  was  the  fifth  of  November.  He  took  advantage  of 
the  season  with  his  pupils.  There  was  an  ef&gy  of  Guy 
Fawkes.  A  court  of  justice  was  established  for  his 
trial.  The  indictment  was  read;  witnesses  were  ex- 
amined ;  counsel  was  heard.  But  he  was  clearly  and 
ftilly  convicted;  when  Mr.  E.  himself  being  the  judge, 
summed  up  the  case;  and,  putting  on  his  black  cap, 
pronounced  the  awful  sentence — that  he  should  be  car- 
ried forth  and  burned  at  the  stake ;  which  sentence 
was  executed  amidst  shouts  of  joy  from  his  pupils. 
Of  this,  I  confess,  my  feelings  did  not  entirely  ap- 
prove. 

Speaking  of  him  one  day  to  Mr.  Hall,  he  related  the 
following  occurrence : — "  When  I  was  quite  a  lad,  my 
father  took  me  to  Mr,  Kyland's  school  at  Northamp- 
lon.  That  afternoon  I  drank  tea  along  with  him  in 
the  parlor.  Mr.  Eyland  was  violently  against  the 
American  war ;  and,  the  subject  happening  to  be  men- 


328        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

tioned,  he  rose,  and  said,  with  a  fierce  countenance 
and  voice, — 'If  I  Avas  General  Washington,  I  would 
summon  all  my  officers  around  nie,  and  make  them 
bleed  from  their  arms  into  a  basin,  and  dip  their 
swords  into  its  contents,  and  swear  they  would  not 
sheath  them  till  America  had  gained  her  independence.' 
I  was  perfectly  terrified.  'What  a  master,' — thought 
I,  'am  I  to  be  left  under  him?  '  and  when  I  went  to 
bed,  I  could  not  for  some  time  go  to  sleep." 

Once  a  young  minister  was  spending  the  evening 
with  him,  and  when  the  family  were  called  together 

for   worship,   he   said,  "  Mr. ,  you    must   pray.'' 

"Sir,"  said  he,  "I  cannot."  He  urged  him  again,  but 
in  vain.  "  Then,  Sir,"  said  he,  "  I  declare,  if  you  will 
not,  I  '11  call  in  the  watchman."  At  this  time  a  watch- 
man on  his  round  was  going  by,  whom  he  knew  to  be 
a  very  pious  man ;  (I  knew  him  too  ;)  he  opened  the 
door,  and  said,  "Duke,  Duke,  come  in  ;  you  are  wanted 
here.  Here,"  said  he,  "  is  a  young  pastor  that  can't 
pray ;  so  you  must  pray  for  him." 

At  this  time,  the  first  opposition  was  made  to  the 
Slave  Trade,  and  he  threw  all  his  impassioned  energies 
into  the  condemnation  of  the  accursed  traffic.  One 
morning  I  was  reading  to  him  some  of  the  reported 
miseries  and  cruelties  of  the  middle  passage ;  among 
others,  of  a  captain  who  had  a  fine  female  slave  in  his 
cabin,  but,  when  her  infant  cried,  he  snatched  him  up, 
and  flung  him  out  into  the  sea;  still  requiring  the 
wretched  creature  to  remain,  as  the  gratifier  of  his  vile 
passions.  At  the  recital  of  this  Mr.  Eyland  seemed 
frantic,  and  to  lose  his  usual  self-control.  He  felt  this, 
and  paced  up  and  down  the  room,  "Oh,  God,  pre- 
serve me!  Oh,  God,  preserve  me!"  and  then  unable  to 


REV.   JOHN   RYLAND,    SENIOR,    M.A.  829 

contain  any  longer,  burst  forth  into  a  dreadful  impre- 
cation, which  I  dare  not  repeat.  It  shocked  me,  and  I 
am  far  from  justifying  it ;  and  yet,  had  the  reader  been 
present  to  witness  the  excitement  and  the  struggle,  he 
would  hardly  have  been  severe  in  condeming  him.  Is 
there  not  a  feeling  of  justice,  as  well  as  of  mercy  ?  And 
what  is  mercy,  compared  with  justice?  The  one  is  con- 
fined to  our  economy  of  imperfection  and  evil ;  the 
other  pervades  all  worlds,  and  reigns  for  ever.  Justice 
and  judgment  are  the  habitation  of  His  throne ;  who 
is  holy  in  all  his  ways,  and  righteous  in  all  his  works. 
One  afternoon  we  went  together  to  drink  tea  with 

Mrs. ,  and  she  prevailed  upon  us  to  spend  the 

evening.  His  supper  was  always  spinach,  and  an  egg 
on  a  slice  of  toasted  bread,  and  a  glass  of  pure  water. 
At  the  domestic  worship  he  said,  "  You,  Eusebius," 
(so  he  commonly  called  me,  I  know  not  wherefore,) 
"  you  shall  pray,  and  I  will  for  a  few  minutes  ex- 
pound." (He  was  never  tedious.)  He  took  the  story 
of  the  woman  of  Canaan.  After  commenting  on  her 
affliction,  and  application  for  relief,  he  came  to  her 
trial  and  her  success  ; — reading  the  words — "  And  he 
answered  her  not  a  word  ;"  he  said,  "  Is  this  the  bene- 
factor of  whom  I  have  heard  so  much  before  I  came  ? 
He  seems  to  have  the  dead  palsy  in  his  tongue." — 
^^  And  the  disciples  came  and  besought  him,  saying,  Sendher 
away,  for  she  crieth  after  usy — "And  why  should  we 
be  troubled  with  a  stranger  ?  We  know  not  whence 
she  is,  and  she  seems  determined  to  Lang  on  till  she  is 
heard." — ^'^  But  he  said,  I  am  not  sent  hut  to  the  lost  sheep 
of  the  house  of  Israel  f  '•  and  you  know  you  are  not  one 
of  them  ;  and  what  right  h^ve  you  to  clamor  thus?" 
— "  T^ien  came  she,    ^ailing  at  his  feet,  and  cried,  Lord 


330        PRACTICAl    ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

help  me  !  But  he  said,  It  is  not  meet  to  take  the  children's 
bread,  and  to  cast  it  to  dogs  ;  And  she  said,  True,  Lord, 
yet  the  dogs  can  eat  of  the  crums  that  fall  from  their  mas- 
ter's iabk." — "  What  I  want  is  no  more  to  thee  than  a 
cram,  compared  with  the  immense  provisions  of  Thy 
board  ;  and  I  come  only  for  a  crum,  and  a  crum  I 
mnst  have ;  and,  if  Thou  refuse  me  a  seat  at  Thy  table 
with  Thy  family,  wilt  Thou  refuse  me  a  crawl  and  a 
crum  underneath  ?  The  family  will  lose  nothing  by 
my  gaining  all  I  want."  ....  Omnipotence  can 
withstand  this  attack  no  longer ;  but  He  yields  the 
victory, — not  to  her  humility,  and  importunity,  and 
perseverance, — but  to  her  faith,  that  produced  and  em- 
ployed all  these,  for  "  all  things  are  possible  to  him 
that  believeth." — "  0,  luoman,  great  is  thy  faith  ;  he  it 
unto  thee  even  as  thou  loiltP  "  Lord,  what  was  that  you 
said  ?"  "  Why,  be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt." 
"Why,  then,  I  will  have  my  dear  child  instantly  heal- 
ed." "  Be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt."  '^  Why, 
then,  I  will  have  my  poor  soul  saved."  "  Be  it  unto 
thee  even  as  thou  wilt."  "  Why,  then,  I  will  have  all 
my  sins  pardoned  and  destroyed."  ^'  Be  it  unto  thee 
even  as  thou  wilt."  "Why,  then,  I'll  have  all  mj^  wants 
supplied  from  thy  riches  in  glory."  "  Be  it  unto  tliee 
even  as  thou  wilt.  Here,  take  the  key,  and  go,  and 
be  not  afraid  to  rifle  all  xdj  treasures." 

"  Now,  Mrs. ,  this  woman  was  a  dog,  a  sad  dog, 

a  sinful  dog,  and  if  she  had  had  her  desert  she  would 
have  been  driven  out  of  doors  ;  and  yet  there  is  not  a 
woman  in  this  house  comparable  to  her.    Let  us  pray." 

N.  B. — I  relate  as  characteristic  what  I  did  not 
wholly  admire  as  proper.  I  repeat  the  same  with  re- 
gard to  anothe"  instance : 


REV.   JOHN   RYLAND,    SENIOR,    M.A.  831 

He  took  my  place  on  Tuesday  evening  at  Surrey 
Chapel,  and  preaclied  a  most  striking  sermon  from 
Daniel's  words  to  Belshazzar — "But  the  God  in  whose 
hands  thy  breath  is,  and  whose  are  all  thy  ways,  hast 
thou  not  glorified,"  After  an  introduction,  giving 
some  account  of  Belshazzar,  he  impatiently  and  abrupt- 
ly broke  off  by  saying, — "  But  you  cannot  suppose 
that  I  am  going  to  preach  a  whole  sermon  on  such  a 

rascal  as  this," — and  then  stated,  that  he  should 

bring  home  the  charge  in  the  text  against  every  indi- 
vidual in  the  place,  in  four  grand  instances. 

Mr.  Eyland  was  exceedingly  full  of  striking,  and 
useful,  and  entertaining  anecdotes,  and  (which  is 
everything  in  anecdotes)  he  told  them  with  admirable 
clearness,  and  brevity,  and  ease.  I  heard  him  repeat 
more  than  once  many  of  those  which  Dr.  Newman  has 
published  in  his  account  of  him  ;  some  of  which,  for 
want  of  his  stating  the  circumstances  which  introduced 
or  followed  them,  appear  less  credible  than  they  other- 
wise would  do.  For  instance,  when,  during  the  exe- 
crable badness  of  the  singing  after  sermon,  he  said,  '•  I 
wonder  the  angels  of  God  do  not  wrench  off  your 
necks,"  he  had  been  preaching  on  the  presence  of  the 
angels  in  our  assemblies.  The  thing  itself  was  very 
exceptionable,  but  this  circumstance  rendered  it  less 
unnatural  and  improbable. 

Though  he  was  rather  high  in  his  doctrinal  senti- 
ments, and  not  entirely  friendly  to  some  of  Fuller's 
views,  he  was  not  soured  and  malignant  towards 
others. 

He  was  intimate  with  Mr.  Whitfield  and  Mr.  Eow- 
land  Hill,  and  much  attached  to  many  other  preachers 
less  svstematicallv  orthodox  than  himself;  and  labor- 


332        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTHATIOXS   OF  CHARACTER. 

cd,  as  opportunity  oft'crod,  with  them.  He  was,  in- 
deed, a  lover  of  all  good  men  ;  and,  while  many  talk- 
ed of  candor,  he  exercised  it.  Though  he  was  a  firm 
Baptist,  he  was  no  friend  to  bigotry  or  exclusiveness. 
He  warmly  advocated  the  cause  of  mixed  communions, 
and  republished  Banyan's  reasons  for  the  practice, 
with  tlie  addition  of  some  of  his  own.  And  this  brings 
to  my  mind  the  following  occurrence  :  I  was  one  day 
to  dine  with  him  at  a  friend's  house ;  the  company 
was  large  ;  and,  while  waiting  for  the  dinner,  a  minis- 
ter asked  him  his  opinion  concerning  strict  commu- 
nion, and  excluding  pious  men  from  the  Lord's  table. 
He  replied  thus, — "  You  decide  the  thing  by  calling  it 
the  Lord's  table.  Suppose,  sir,  when  I  entered  this 
room,  I  had  taken  upon  me  to  say, — 'Mr.  Such-an- 
one,'  (naming  him,)  '  you  shall  not  sit  down  at  this 
table ;  and  Mrs.  Such-an-one,'  (naming  her,)  '  you  shall 

not  sit  down  at  this  table  ;' — what  would  Mr.  D , 

the  master  of  the  house,  say  ?  '  Why,  John  E-yland, 
you  have  forgotten  yourself  You  are  not  the  owner 
of  this  table,  but  the  master  is.  The  table  is  mine,  and 
I  have  a  right  to  invite  them,  and  I  have  invited  them  ; 
and  is  it  for  you  to  forbid  them  ?  So  in  the  church. 
The  table  is  the  Lord's  ;  and  all  who  are  called  by  his 
grace  are  his  guests,  and  he  has  hidden  them." 

I  cannot  but  think  some  of  his  own  brethren,  and 
of  his  own  denomination,  bore  too  hard  upon  him  for 
some  difficulty  in  his  pecuniary  circumstances.  They 
did  not  indeed  charge  him  with  dishonesty  and  injus- 
tice, but  they  seemed  to  forget  that  a  brother  may  be 
overtaken  in  a  fault,  and  that  the  fault  in  this  case  was 
in  reality  the  effect  of  an  excellence  or  virtue.  In  his 
ardor  for  learning  and  science,  he  was  too  free  in  the 


EEV.    JOHN    EYLAND,    SENIOIl,    M.A.  333 

purchase  of  books,  for  liis  own  use  and  also  to  give 
poor  ministers  who  had  few  intellectual  helps  ;  and 
also,  in  the  exercise  of  beneficence  to  the  poor  and 
needy,  he  was  drawn  beyond  his  means.  I  was  told 
by  a  person  who  attended  the  examination  of  his  af- 
fairs, that,  when  something  rather  reflecting  on  his  in- 
tegrity had  escaped  from  one  of  the  party,  he  instant- 
ly rose  up,  and  turned  his  face  to  the  wall,  and,  look- 
ing up  to  heaven,  said,  "  Lord,  thou  knowest  I  am  not 
wicked !  Oh,  give  me  grace  to  preserve  my  temper 
and  tongue,  while  I  endeavor  to  answer  and  rectify 
the  mistake  of  my  brother."  This  instantly  softened 
and  melted  the  party,  and  he  soon  gave  them  full  sat- 
isfaction. K  God  had  not  called  Lot  ^'■just  Lot,"  A^e 
should  probably  never  have  registered  him  in  our  cal- 
endar of  saints.  Dr.  Eippon,  one  of  his  permanently 
attached  friends  and  advisers,  preached  his  funeral  ser- 
mon ;  and,  as  they  were  letting  down  the  deceased  into 
the  grave,  he  pointed  to  the  coffin,  and'  said  with  ad- 
mirable impression, — 

"  Defects  through  Nature's  best  productions  run, — 
Our  friend  had  spots, — and  spots  are  in  the  sun  !" 

The  Eev.  Mr.  Bell,  of  Cheshunt,  who  attended  him, 
informed  me  of  the  blessed  state  of  his  mind  in  his 
dying  hours  ;  reporting,  among  other  things  which  he 
addressed  to  himself, — "  Oh,  Bell,  I  charge  you,  I 
charge  you  to  love  and  preach  Christ !  Oh,  how 
good  has  he  always  been  to  me,  and  how  good  is  he 
now  !  My  body  is  as  full  of  ease,  and  my  soul  is  as 
full  of  joy,  as  it  can  hold  !  " 

Dr.  Newman,  the  late  tutor  of  the  Baptist  Academy 
at  Mile-End,  and  who  has  published  aifectionate  Me- 


334        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF   CHARACTER. 

iiioirs  of  liirn,  was  originally  a  3-outh  whom  Mr,  Ry- 
land  took  up,  and  entirely  educated  gratis. 

I  need  not  say  the  late  Dr.  Ryland  was  his  son,  who 
had  the  ability,  and  learning,  and  excellence  of  his  fa- 
ther, (without  any  of  his  errata,)  whose  praise  is  in  all 
the  churches,  and  whose  character,  and  consistency, 
and  integrity,  were  proverbial ;  so  that  Mr.  Hall,  who 
preached  his  funeral  sermon,  once  said,  "  I  would  as 
soon  have  Dr.  Ryland's  word  as  Gabriel's  oath."  John 
Ryland,  the  father,  was  a  devourer  of  books,  and  an 
excessive  praiser  of  some  of  them.  Thus  I  remember 
his  saying, — "  If  the  dipping  of  my  pen  in  my  very 
blood  would  recommend  'Witsius'  Economy  of  the 
Covenants,'  I  would  not  forbear  doing  it  for  a  mo- 
ment." Of  Henry's  Exposition  he  said, — "It  is  im- 
possible for  a  person  of  piety  and  taste  to  read  this 
book  without  wishing  to  be  shut  out  from  the  whole 
world,  and  to  read  it  through  without  one  moment's 
interruption."  Owen,  also,  was  an  extreme  favorite 
with  him,  and  whose  Latin  work  on  "  Divine  Justice" 
he  translated.  He  gloried  in  Bunyan  ;  and  I  recollect 
his  speaking  with  warmth  against  Mr.  Booth,  who,  in 
his  defence  of  strict  communion,  had  said, — "  Let  him 
(Bunyan)  dream,  but  not  lay  down  rules  for  gospel- 
A\'orship." 

He  had  a  great  number  of  manuscripts,  some  of 
which  I  saw  from  time  to  time.  He  used  to  say, 
"These  I  shall  bequeath  to  twelve  ministers,  each  hav- 
ing a  key  to  the  box  containing  them  ;  and,  if  you  are 
a  good  boy,  you  shall  be  one  of  them."  What  became 
of  them? 

']"'hough  so  many  years  have  elapsed  since,  I  feel  it 
pleasant  and  useful  to  recall  the  opportunities  I  had 


REV.   JOHN   RYLAND,    SENIOR,    A.M.  335 

of  being  in  company  with  him,  and  of  leading  him 
about  from  place  to  place,  when  leaning  on  my  arm ; 
and  I  retain  many  impressions  he  made  upon  me  when 
I  was  most  susceptible  of  impressions. 

If  sometimes  he  seemed  severe,  it  was  really  more 
in  the  force  of  his  expression  than  the  feeling  of  his 
heart.  No  one  was  more  capable  of  tenderness  ;  and 
I  I'emember  his  saying,  "  My  mother  died  when  I  was 
five  years  of  age,  and  I  have  ten  thousand  times  wish- 
ed that  she  was  alive,  that  I  might  wait  upon  her." 

I  wish  I  had  written  down  more  of  his  sayings  and 
remarks.  These  are  a  few  of  them  : — "  My  dunghill 
heart." — "The  promises  are  the  saints'  legacies." — 
"  When  a  Christian  is  matured  for  heaven,  he  leaves 
the  present  world  as  the  acorn  leaves  its  cup." — 
"  Work  for  the  world  is  done  best  when  work  for  God 
is  done  firsV — "  It  is  perilous  to  read  any  impure 
book  ;  you  will  never  get  it  out  of  your  faculties  tiU 
you  are  dead.  My  imagination  was  tainted  young, 
and  I  shall  never  get  rid  of  it  till  I  get  into  Leaven." 

He  used  facetiously  to  mention  that,  when  he  resid- 
ed in  Warwick,  he  lived  in  the  Parsonage  House, 
which  he  rented  of  the  Eector,  Dr.  Tate  ;  who,  when 
he  was  reflected  upon  by  some  high  ecclesiastic  for 
letting  it  to  a  Dissenter,  rephed, — "  What  would  you 
have  me  do  ?  I  have  brought  the  man  as  near  the 
Church  as  I  can,  but  I  cannot  force  him  into  it." 


WILLIAM  WILBERFORCE,   ESQ. 

It  was  very  soon  after  my  settlement  in  Bath  that  I 
had  the  honor  and  advantage  of  commencing  an  ac- 
quaintance with  this  inestimable  man,  and  which  led 
to  an  intimacy  which  continued  for  his  life. 

He  was  then  lodging  in  Queen's  Square  Terrace,  his 
relation,  Mr.  Henry  Thornton,  Member  for  the  Bor- 
ough, being  with  him.  It  was  by  a  note  of  invitation 
I  called  upon  him.  As  I  had  not  been  before  in  the 
company  of  any  distinguished  personage,  I  felt  ex- 
ceedinglj^  backward  as  I  approached  the  door,  and  held 
the  knocker  some  seconds  in  my  hand  before  I  could 
use  it.  But,  unlike  his  excellent  kinsman,  whose  man- 
ner was  as  cold  as  his  disposition  was  generous,  and 
with  whom,  instead  of  advancing  you  had  always  to 
begin  your  friendship,  and  never  could  be  free ;  he 
instantly  loosened  me  from  my  fears  and  embarrass- 
ment, and,  without  lowering  jny  respect,  inspired  me 
with  confidence  and  attachment. 

Was  there  ever  a  being  who  possessed  such  a  power 
of  endearing  himself,  making  all  hearts  his  own,  as 
soon  as  they  approached  him  ;  and  not  only  preserv- 
ing but  increasing  affection,  by  every  additional  op- 
portunity of  intercourse  ?  Perhaps,  if  one  sentence 
could  more  fully  express  him  than  another,  it  Avould 


WILLIAM   WILBERFORCE,    ESQ.  837 

be  an  incomparable  readiness  to  give  pleasure,  and  to  he 
pleased. 

I  had  several  otlier  interviews  with  him  during  that 
visit  to  Bath.  They  were  all  delightful  and  useful. 
One  Sabbath  morning,  after  hearing  me  on  a  subject 
which  had  reference  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  he 
mildly  asked  me  whether  something  I  had  advanced 
did  not  carry  the  distinctions  in  the  Divine  Nature  too 
far,  and  whether  it  might  not  be  made  to  countenance 
Tritheism  ?  He  was  correct ;  I  saw  my  mistake  ;  and 
was  thankfal  for  such  an  early  proof  of  his  attention 
and  kindness. 

He  asked  me  if  1  had  Quintilian,  and  finding  I  had 
never  seen  him,  he  promised,  on  his  return,  to  send  it 
to  me ;  but  for  what  reason  I  know  not,  instead  of 
this,  he  sent  me  the  works  of  Dr.  Witherspoon.  To 
the  Treatise  t)f  this  Author  on  "  Eegeneration,"  he  was 
much  attached  ;  and  some  years  after  he  wrote  an  Essay 
to  prefix  to  it,  in  a  series  of  publications  issued  by 
Chalmers  and  Collins  of  Glasgow.  Concerning  this 
admirable  Essay,  I  remember  his  complaining  that  he 
wrote  it  only  to  prefix  to  Withersjooon's  "  Treatise  on 
Regeneration  ;^^  but  the  Publishers  connected  with  it 
his  work  on  Justification,  "  with  which,"  said  he,  "I 
was  less  acquainted,  and  might  not  have  so  highly  and 
entirely  approved.     This  was  not  fair." 

His  preferences  in  religion  were  not  censorious  or 
exclusive.  He  had  a  real  and  large  liberality  towards 
those  who  differed  from  him  in  some  of  the  more  ex- 
ternal and  subordinate  parts  of  Christianity  ;  or  rather 
its  administrations;  and,  therefore,  he  made  no  scruple 
to  attend  occasionally  in  places  which  at  that  time  ig- 
norance and  not  law,  called  conventicles;  and  in  two 

15 


338         PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF   CHARACTER. 

instances,  at  least,  he  partook  of  the  Lord's  Supper  ii; 
Nonconformist  Churches.  Are  all  those  dead  who 
have  heard  him  more  than  once  say : — "  Though  I  a.'ii 
an  Episcopalian  by  education  and  conviction,  I  yet 
feel  such  a  oneness  and  sympathy  with  the  cause  of 
God  at  large,  that  nothing  would  be  more  delightful 
than  my  communing  once  every  year  with  efvery  Church 
that  holds  the  Head,  even  Christ"  ?  And  did  this  ren- 
der him  a  worse  Churchman  ?  What  must  we  have 
thought  of  such  a  Church  if  it  had  ? 

While  I  was  preaching  in  London,  and  he  was  visit- 
ing in  Bath,  I  received  from  him  the  following  letter  : — 


Near  Bath,  Sept.  22d,  1803. 

My  deae  Sik, — I  commence  my  letter  with  unaffected  dwubts 
wliether  I  should  apologize  for  delaying  it  so  long  or  for  even 
now  writing  it.  I  have  for  a  fortnight  past  been  on  the  point  of 
taking  up  my  pen,  and  knowing,  on  tlie  one  hand,  that  1  am  ad- 
dressing a  man  of  whose  candor  and  liberality  of  spirit  I  would 
rather  speak  to  any  other  than  to  himself;  and,  on  the  other,  my 
conscience  bearing  me  witness,  that  I  am  actuated  by  motives  of 
pure  benevolence,  and  love  without  dissimulation ;  I  will  pi'oceed 
to  fulfil  the  most  valuable  duty  of  friendship.  Yet,  when  I  go  on 
to  state  that  it  is  to  observe  on  your  mode  of  preaching  that  I  have 
resolved  to  address  you,  I  am  aware  that  1  may,  not  without  rea- 
son, appear  guilty  of  somewhat  of  the  same  presumption  as  the 
philosopher  who  undertook  to  lecture  Hannibal  on  the  Art  of  War; 
for  you  must,  it  can  be  no  compliment  to  say  it,  have  studied 
vastly  more  than  mj'self  the  way  of  addressing  your  hearers,  and 
have  balanced  opposite  considerations,  &c.,  <fec.  Yet  it  may  be  of 
uee  to  a  minister  that  a  friend  should  tell  liim  what  the  hearers  say, 
not  to  control  but  to  inform  his  judgment,  that,  having  all  before 
him,  he  may  at  length  decide  for  himself. 

I  have  then  (to  come  to  the  point)  been  told  from  various  quar- 
ters, that  your  general  strain  of  preaching  has  been  of  late,  not 
sufficiently  Evangelical ;  and  though  the  few  opportunities  I  have 
myself  had  of  hearing  you  (opportunities  which  I  always  prize  as 


WILLIAM   WILBERFOECE,    ESQ.  339 

the  greatest  of  my  Bath  pleasures),  scarcely  »^dalify  me  to  judge 
for  myself  on  this  question ;  yet  I  should  not  be  honest,  were  I 
not  to  confess,  that  they  have  rather  confirmed  the  report  which 
had  reached  me  from  others.  It  has  been  ascribed  to  your  having 
•witnessed  the  sad  consequences  of  an  unwarranted  application  of 
the  promises  and  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  and  I  have  myself  also 
ascribed  it  to  a  cause  connected  with  the  former ;  I  mean,  to  your 
observmg  that  the  bulk  of  professors  were  shamefully  uninstructed 
in  the  Christian  system,  and  ignorant  of  the  very  Scriptures  in  which 
they  say  they  have  eternal  life. 

I  hope  I  need  not  assure  you,  that  no  man  is  more  vehement 
against  that  way  of  preaching  which  indolence,  I  fear,  more  than 
any  other  consideration,  has  rendered  so  general,  of  following  so 
little  the  example  of  the  sacred  writers,  as  to  be  always  insisting  on 
one  single  topic.  I  cannot  want  you  to  leave  jour  fatness  (sic)  with 
■which  your  talents  and  knowledge  enable  you  to  honor  God  and 
serve  man.  I  cannot  wish  you  to  give  up  the  various  melodies 
with  which  a  bountiful  Creator  hath  endowed  you  for  the  unvaried 
strain  of  one  cuckoo  note  ;  but  there  is  a  mode  (and  no  man  knows 
it  better)  of  preaching  evangelical  truth  practically,  and  applying 
evangelically  the  rich  and  full  variety  of  the  doctrines  and  precepts 
of  the  Word  of  God.  I  am  aware,  too,  that  there  may  be  no  danger 
of  your  being  misunderstood  by  your  own  stated  congregation.  But 
indeed,  my  dear  sir,  you  are  "  a  debtor  to  the  Greeks  and  barba- 
rians." Consider  the  situation  in  which  you  stand.  Not  another 
minister  in  Bath,  whom  any  of  the  poor  wretched  upper  classes  are 
likely  to  hear,  who  preaches  the  Gospel.  They  come,  perhaps,  to 
your  chapel ;  they  never  heard  the  word  of  life  before ;  they  never 
may  have  another  opportunity.  Pity  them,  my  dear  sir,  as  I  know 
you  do.  They,  above  all  others,  deserve  to  be  pitied.  I  have,  alas ! 
been  more  conversant  with  them  than  you,  and  am,  therefore,  the 
more  impressed  with  a  sense  of  their  wretched  ignorance  in  spirit- 
ual things. 

And  now,  my  dear  sir,  I  have  only  to  express  my  hopes,  that  you 
will  do  justice  to  the  motives  of  esteem  and  regard  which  have 
dictated  this  letter ;  and'  it  may  be  as  well  to  add,  that  no  human 
being,  not  even  Mrs.  W.  herself,  knows  of  its  being  written.  It 
appears  to  me  that  all  friendly  offices  of  this  kind  are  likely  to  be 
more  pure  from  all  improper  mixture,  when  they  are  known  by  the 
two  individuals  alone,  from  whom  and  to  whom  the  representation 
is  made.     And,  besides  this  motive  for  secrecy,  I  must  add,  that  it 


340        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHAKACTER. 

requires  a  very  tliffcrent  degree  of  evidence  and  conviction  to  war- 
rant the  private  communication  of  a  hint  to  a  friend,  and  the  men- 
tion of  it,  if  it  is  to  become  ever  sc  Mttle  more  public  :  for,  if  any- 
tiiing  be  al  all  undivulged,  who  shall  say,  "  thus  far,  and  no  farther." 
I  cannot  pass  this  occasion  of  expressing  the  sincere  pleasure, 
and  I  hope  I  may  say,  improvement,  with  which  I  have  read  your 
first  and  a  great  part  of  your  second  volume  of  Sermons;  the  pub- 
lication of  which  may,  I  trust,  be  beneficial  in  various  ways,  and  I 
must  advise  your  sending  forth  an  addition  to  their  number. 
I  remain,  my  dear  Sir,  yours  very  sincerely, 

W.    WlLBERFOECE. 


"  Let  the  righteous  smite  me,  and  it  shall  be  a  kind- 
ness ;  and  let  him  reprove  me,  it  shall  be  an  excellent 
oil  which  shall  not  break  my  head ;  and  even  my 
prayer  also  shall  be  for  him  in  his  calamity."  This 
letter  was  most  gratefully  received.  Nothing  also 
could  have  been  more  seasonable.  It  was  really 
needed.  There  was  ground,  at  least  in  a  considerable 
degi'ee,  for  the  pious  apprehension.  From  the  motives 
mentioned  b}^  him,  I  had  insensibly  been  led  too  far, 
and  enlarged  too  much  on  what  some  have  called  "  the 
guarding  side" — perhaps  also  with  regard  to  some,  from 
a  little  vain  wish  to  avoid  the  offence  of  the  Cross. 
As  I  found  this  friendly  admonition  useful  to  myself, 
I  hope  it  will  be  serviceable,  especially  to  some  of  my 
younger  brethren,  who  may  be  in  danger  from  a  simi- 
lar mistake.  The  truth  is,  we  are  not  to  preach  the 
less  the  doctrines  which  some  pervert  or  abuse,  but  to 
preach  them  the  more,  only  in  a  better  manner,  hold- 
ing them  forth,  not  only  in  all  their  richness,  but  also 
in  all  their  connections,  proportions,  influences,  and 
effects.  I  trust  I  was  enabled  to  act  upon  the  counsel 
so  timely  and  delicately  given ;  and  many  of  my 
friends  noticed,  forthwith,  the  advantage  in  my  gen- 


WILLIAM   WILBERFORCE,    ESQ.  841 

eral  strain  of  preaching.  But  little  were  tliey  aware 
of  the  cause  to  which,  under  God,  it  was  owino-. 

And  what  a  view  does  it  give  us  of  the  mind  of  this 
pre-eminent  man,  that,  amidst  all  his  public  engage- 
ments, he  could  turn  his  attention  to  an  humble  in- 
dividual, who  had  no  secular  distinction,  and  who  was 
laboring  in  a  different  religious  community  from  his 
own.  But  he  considered  the  importance  of  his  situation, 
and  his  opportunities  of  doing  some  good  there,  and 
especially,  that  good  which  was  spiritual  and  eternal, 
and  which  was  the  first  and  last  wish  of  his  heart,  by 
whomsoever  it  might  be  accomplished. 

I  have  said,  in  another  place,  and  I  repeat  it,  that 
some  are  too  Orthodox  to  be  Evangelical.  Because 
Mr.  Wilberforce  held  not  the  exclusive  part  of  Calvin- 
ism, suspicions  have  prevailed,  that  he  was  not  quite 
sound  in  doctrine.  But  let  any  who  question  even  the 
degree  of  his  evangelism,  read  not  only  his  own  in- 
valuable book,  but  even  this  letter,  and  see  what  kind 
of  preaching  that  was,  for  which  he  was  so  zealous, 
and  to  which  he  was  persuaded  God  only  gave  testi- 
mony, as  to  the  word  of  his  grace. 

And  may  I  not  ask,  and  does  not  even  a  regard  to 
Truth  itself  allow  me  to  ask,  whether  this  Letter  does 
not  breathe  a  regard  which  his  "  Memoirs"  seemed 
designed  to  deny  or  to  diminish. 

I  need  not  quote  the — only — ^kind  of  references  to  the 
Eeminiscent  which  appear  in  that  work ;  but  I  leave 
the  reader  to  inquire  for  whaf  purpose  such  insignifi- 
cant notices  were  inserted.  And  let  a  thousand  in- 
stances of  kindness,  and  the  following  correspondence, 
assist  them  to  answer. 

I  prefix  a  note  from  Mrs.  Wilberforce. 


342        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

Bath — Sunday  night. 
Dear  Sir,— Permit  me  to  offer  a  trif<^  towards  the  good    work 
which  I  heard  of  to-day,— the  enlarging  your  Chapel.     May  the  un- 
dertaking lead  to  as  much  good  as  your  heart  can  desire, 
With  every  good  wish  to  yourself,  Mrs.  Jay,  and  family, 

I  am,  my  dear  Sir,  your  obliged  and  faithful. 

B.  A.   WlLBERFORCE. 

No.  "7,  South  Parade,  Thursday  Evening,  14th  Oct.  1830. 

My  dear  Sir,— Though  I  trust  you  know  the  cordial  esteem  and 
regard  which  I  feel,  and  have  long  felt  for  you,  too  well,  not  to  be 
sure  that  I  must  sympathize  with  you  in  your  present  season  of  af- 
fliction ;  (and  let  me  say  the  same,  and  with  no  less  truth,  for  my 
dear  Mrs.  Wilberforce  also ;)  yet  I  must  intrude  on  you  for  a  few 
moments,  to  assure  you  of  the  sincerity  of  my  condolence.  May 
it  please  God  to  support  and  comfort  you  under  this  trying  dispen- 
sation.* 

I  remain,  my  dear  Sir,  ever  sincerely  and  affectionately  yours, 

W.  Wilberforce. 

P.  S.  I  beg  you  will  not  trouble  yourself  to  return  me  any  an- 
swer. 

No.  5,  Queen's  Square,  Friday. 

My  deau  Sir, — I  am  just  now  requested  to  introduce  to  you  some 
young  people  who  are  truly  worthy  of  the  privilege  of  your  ac- 
quaintance, and,  I  hope,  friendship. 

The  ladies  are  the  daughters  of  a  widow  recentlj'  become  such, 
Mrs.  Wolf.  The  gentleman,  an  ofBcer  in  the  navy,  a  son  of  Di-. 
Hall,  Dean  of  Durham,  and  late  head  of  Christ  Church,  Oxford.  It 
has  pleased  God  to  touch  his  heart  to  true  piety,  which  is  more  at- 
tractive by  the  singularly  pleasing  form  in  which  it  is  presented. 
lie  is  about  to  be  united  with  Miss  Amelia  Wolf,  and  she  also,  I 
am  assured,  is  truly  religious. 

I  could  not  refuse  their  desire,  that  I  would  recommend  them  to 
your  friendly  attention,  though  I  tell  them  how  little  time  you  can 
spare  even  to  your  oldest  friends. 

I  am  ever,  my  dear  Sir,  yours  sincerely, 

W.  WlLBERFOROK. 

N.  B.  I  ought  to  mention  that  Mr.  Hall's  wish  to  know  you  arose 
first  from  a  sermon  he  heard  you  preach  last  night. 

•  11  was  llic  (lealli  of  a  lovely  iuiU  pious  daughter. 


WILLIAM   WILBERFORCE,    ESQ.  '843 

No.  5,  Queen's  Square,  26tli  May,  1826. 

Mt  dear  Sir, — It  would  have  given  both  Mrs.  "Wilberforce  and 
myself  pleasure  to  call  again  on  Mrs.  Jay  and  you,  before  our  de- 
parture to-morrow ;  but  I  fear  we  cannot ;  and  therefore,  I  trouble 
you  by  the  pen  with  a  question  or  two,  which  I  should  otherwise 
put  orally. 

It  occurs  to  me  that  you  can  probably  inform  me  who  and  what 
Mr.  Campbell  is.  He  writes  to  me  occasionally  from  Edinburgh 
upon  religious  subjects,  and  I  have  now  occasion  to  answer  a  recent 
letter  of  his,  concerning  the  Apocryphal  dispute.  I  know  not 
whether  to  call  him  Rev.  or  Esq. ;  and  he  may  think  it  strange  that 
I  do  not  know  his  proper  description  ;  I  probably  did  know  it,  but  I 
have  forgot  it. 

We  may  probably  be  able  to  go  to  Mr.  Hall's  chapel  on  Sunday. 
Can  you  inform  me  where  it  is  situated,  and  at  what  hour  service 
begins  ? 

I  take  the  pen  in  my  own  hand  to  add,  that  I  cannot  but  sincerely 
regret  my  not  having  had  the  profit  and  pleasure  of  hearing  you, 
and  joining  with  you  in  worship,  during  this  visit  to  Bath.  Both 
you  and  I,  I  believe,  and  indeed  I  cannot  doubt  it,  are  much  more 
closely  bound  to  each  other  by  the  substance  of  Christian  principles, 
(besides  a  personal  friendship  which  has  long  been,  and  will  con- 
tinue, I  trust,  during  our  lives,  to  be  a  subject  of  mutual  pleasure  to 
both  of  us,)  than  we  are  separated  by  any  differences  as  to  the  out- 
ward form  and  mechanism  of  religion.  I  had  rather  wished  for  a 
few  minutes'  private  conversation  with  you,  but  I  fear  I  shall  not  be 
able  to  call  (or  Mrs.  W..  on  Mrs.  Jay)  before  my  departure  to-mor- 
row about  12  o'clock.  If  you  should  be  walking  this  way,  I  should 
be  happy  to  see  you ;  and  if  not,  let  me  thus  take  my  leave  for  the 
present,  assuring  you  of  the  cordial  esteem  and  regard  with  which 
I  am,  with  our  best  respects  to  Mrs.  Jay, 

My  dear  Sir,  yours  very  sincerely, 

W.    WiLBEKFOKCE. 

No.  9,  North  Parade,  Wednesday,  17th  Oct.  1831. 

My  dear  Sir, — We  cannot  but  rerneuiber  with  pleasure  the  visits 
you  kindly  paid  us  last  year,  and  Mrs.  Wilberforce  and  I  much  wish 
to  renew  the  enjoyment.  Mrs.  W.  reminds  me  that  you  used  some- 
times to  take  your  tea  while  we  took  our  dinner. 

Would  you  favor  us  with  your  company  at  a  quarter  before  five 
o'clock  to-morrow? 


344       PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

I  can  truly  say  that  tlie  hope  of  seeing  you  is  always  one  of  the 
most  gratifyiug  objects  in  my  prospect,  when  I  look  forward  to  the 
renewal  of  my  visits  to  Bath;  and  that  I  am,  with  cordial  esteem 
and  regard, 

Ever  sincerely  yours, 

W,  WiLBEEFORCE. 

Near  Uxbridge,  7th  Jan. 

My  dear  Sir, — I  enclose  you  a  £5-note  to  reimburse  you  for  the 
Bum  you  were  so  kind  as  to  lay  down  for  me ;  and  I  return  you 
tlianks  for  so  kindly  inquiring  into  the  case;  perhaps  it  would  be 
for  the  poor  youug  man's  own  benefit,  to  caution  him  against  rely- 
ing on  future  aid  from  me.  I  have  som^^times  found  a  little  pecuniary 
assistance  practically  injurious  for  the  want  of  this  warning. 

I  thank  you  for  naming  the  Eclectic,  and  will  procure  the  num- 
ber;  I  tised  to  take  in  that  publication,  but  discontinued  it,  partly 
because  the  increasing  numbers  of  such  periodical  works  compelled 
me  to  select;  and  still  more,  because  it  became  so  much  more  of  a 
party  work;  otherwise  my  knowing  that  occasionally  R.  Hall  and 
Foster  wrote  in  it,  was  a  strong  inducement  to  take  it  in.  "Were 
not  my  eyes  very  indifferent  and  my  stock  of  leisure  very  small,  I 
would  enter  for  a  few  minutes  into  the  Roman  Catholic  Question.  I 
have  not  seen  "  Cobbett"  for  some  time.  My  chief  reason  for  ever 
taking  in  his  paper  was,  that  I  could  not  otherwise  see  it ;  and  I 
thought  it  right  to  know  what  were  the  lessons  of  a  very  able  and 
influential  political  teacher  on  the  passing  events  of  the  day.  But 
when  I  heard  his  paper  circulation  had  much  declined,  I  declined 
also. 

My  motives  for  supporting  what  is  very  ill  entitled  Catholic 
emancipation,  were  not  that  I  thought  that  when  granted  the  Ro- 
man Catholics  would  desire  no  more ;  still  less,  because  I  did  not 
entertain  a  very  strong  repugnance  to  the  Roman  Catholic  religion 
of  the  present  day ;  (and  this  last  I  thought  it  right  in  fairness  to 
declare  to  the  two  Roman  Catholic  deputies  who  called  on  me  as 
a  friend  a  few  yenrs  ago,  Drs.  Everett  and  Murray;)  but  because  I 
really  believe  the  actual  state  of  the  laws  tends  to  maintain,  nay 
probably  to  extend,  certainly  to  exasperate  and  embitter,  the  in- 
fluence o  the  Roman  Catholic  tenets.  The  Roman  Catholics  can 
and  now  do  vote  for  Members  of  Parliament,  though  they  cannot 
become  such.  The  consequence  is,  that  they  choose  Members  who, 
though  Protestant  by  profession,  (commonly,  perhaps,  neutrals  at 


WILLIAM   WILBERFORCE,    ESQ.  345 

heart,)  are  full  as  subservient  to  Roman  Catholic  interests,  as 
avowed  Roman  Catholics  could  be,  while  they  may  speak  a  lan- 
guage, which  uttered  by  Roman  Catholics,  would  call  forth  a  spirit  in 
the  Protestants  to  at  least  an  equal  amount ;  but  to  which,  when 
held  by  Protestants,  no  objection  could  be  made  without  a  man's 
being  considered  guilty  of  a  personal  effront.  Put  the  question 
arithmetically.  The  influence  excited  on  the  side  of  the  Roman 
Catholics  is  now  the  sum  of  their  own  and  that  of  Protestants  whom 
they  elect  or  favor.  When  Roman  Catholics  should  be  eligible,  it 
would  be  only  the  difference.  The  existing  state  of  the  laws  keeps 
the  Roman  Catholics  in  a  continual  state  of  irritation,  reminded  of 
their  incapacities  ;  for  they  iire  brought  forward  to  vote,  but  not  to 
be  elected.  I  also  lay  much  stress  on  the  effect  of  Roman  (.  atholic 
gentlemen  mixing  in  Parliament  with  Protestants,  and  thus  habit- 
ually learning  to  disrelish,  as  galling  and  humiliating,  the  subjec- 
tion to  the  priests,  in  which,  after  all,  consists  much  of  the  strength 
and  evil  of  their  religion.  But  I  must  lay  down  my  pen,  only  remark- 
ing, that  I  cannot  be  afraid  of  Popery  in  this  country,  but  that  I 
should  not  be  greatly  surprised  to  see  the  Roman  Catholic  oriflaml> 
waving  in  Ireland,  the  Roman  Catholic  mass  being  suj^ported  by 
the  military  regulars  of  some  continental  Roman  Catholic  power. 
However,  be  this  as  it  may,  I  cannot  but  trust  all  will  end  well,  both 
for  Ireland  herself,  and  much  more  for  England,  when  I  witness  the 
continually  increasing  flood  of  light,  which  she  (England;  is  the 
instrument  of  diffusing  through  the  Pagan  World.  India  is  likely, 
I  hope,  ere  long,  to  become  the  glory  of  this  country. 

My  dear  Sir,  you  seduce  me,  you  see,  even  on  paper,  into  too  long 
a  tete-d-tete,  and  I  have  scarcely  left  myself  room  to  request  you 
to  present  Mrs.  Ws  and  my  own  best  remembrances  to  Mrs.  Jay, 
and  to  assure  you  of  her  cordial  good  wishes  as  well  as  my  own,  for 
the  temporal,  and  still  more  for  the  spiritual,  well-being  of  you  and 
yours. 

Ever,  my  dear  Sir,  your  sincere  and  affectionate  friend, 

W.  WlLBERFORCE. 

When  I  published  my  "  Evening  Exercises,"  I  dedi- 
cated them  to  my  Illustrious  Friend.  As  the  preface 
was  long,  and  animadverted  on  various  and  some  of 
them  disputed  topics,  I  sent  it  to  him  in  manuscript, 
begging  he  would  strike  out  whatever  he  disapproved 

15* 


346        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

of;  but  he  returned  it  Avithout  a  single  erasure  ;  and 
when  the  volumes  came  out,  as  soon  as  he  received 
the  copy  I  presented  to  him,  he  wroto  me  the  follow- 
ing letter : — 

Elenden  House,  near  Birmingham,  30th  Dec,  1831. 

Mt  dear  Sir, — Though  I  will  not  withhold  from  Mrs.  Wilberforce 
the  pleasure  of  answering  your  friendly  letter,  I  cannot  be  satisfied 
without  assuring  you,  with  my  own  pen,  that  1  feel  honored  as  well 
as  gratified  by  the  proof  of  your  esteem  and  regard  for  me,  which 
you  gave  by  desiring  to  place  my  name  at  the  head  of  your  publi- 
cation. It  gives  me  unaflfected  pleasure  to  reflect  that  my  name 
will  thus  be  permanently  associated  with  yours,  and  may  this,  my 
dear  Sir,  with  all  your  other  labors  of  love,  be  abundantly  blessed. 
May  the  Gracious  Giver  of  all  good,  who  has  already  rendered  you 
an  instrument  of  such  extensive  usefulness,  continue  to  prosj^er  your 
endeavor  to  promote  the  temporal,  and  still  more,  the  eternal  bene- 
fit of  your  fellow-creatures ;  and  after  a  long  protracted  sphere  of 
usefulness  and  honor,  may  you  at  length  hear  addressed  to  you 
those  blessed  words, — "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,"  <fec. 

Suffer  me  also  to  add  my  humble  prayer,  and  let  me  hope  that  it 
will  be  yours  also,  that  I  may  one  day  welcome  you  into  that  better 
world  ;  and  that,  though  by  somewhat  diff'erent  paths,  yet  tending 
to  the  same  point,  and  graduating,  if  I  may  use  the  expression,  to 
the  same  centre,  we  may  at  lengtli  meet  where  holiness  and  happi- 
ness, where  love  and  peace,  and  gratitude  and  joy,  will  be  unalloy 
ed  and  everlasting.  Such,  my  dear  Sir,  is  my  sincere  wish,  and 
sometimes  shall  be  the  prayer  for  you,  and  for  all  that  are  dear  to 

Yours,  with  cordial  esteem  and  attachment, 

W.  W. 

As  a  beautiful  contrast  to  this,  I  insert  a  few  sentences  from  a 
little  work  the  author  sent  by  post  to  Mr.  William  Jay,  Bath,  a  few 
years  ago. 

They  were  all  pencil-marked,  to  render  them  the  more  emphatic. 

"  And  this  is  the  reason  why  church  people,  and  especially  cler- 
gymen, may  not  keep  company  with  and  make  friends  of  any  of 
those  who  call  themselves  Dissenting  ministers. 

" Every  Dissenting  teacher  is  plainly  making  a  division:  every 
churchman  therefore,  is  commanded  to  avoid  him.     Be  his  gentle- 


WILLIAM   WILBERFORCE,    ESQ.  347 

ness  and  mildness  what  they  may,  in  comparison  with  the  miser- 
able bitterness  of  most  modern  Dissenters ;  be  his  personal  holiness, 
his  mind  and  intellectual  qualifications  what  they  may  ;  be  his 
friendship,  however  dear  to  me,  how  can  I  continue  it,  when  God 
has  commanded  me  to  avoid  him  ?  To  pray  for  him  as  an  erring 
brother, — to  desire  his  present  and  future  welfare, — to  cherish  to- 
wards him  all  kindly  and  brotherly  feeling, — to  assist  him,  if  need 
be,  with  my  counsel  or  my  purse ;  these  things  would  be  a  duty 
and  a  pleasure ;  but  to  make  him  any  longer  a  friend  or  an  inti- 
mate would  be  a  sin. 

"  Therefore  he  feels  {i.  e.  a  true  churchman)  that  it  would  be  sin 
to  attend  their  places  of  worship  or  preaching,  to  acknowledge  them 
in  public  meetings  or  elsewhere,  as  fellow-ministers  of  the  Word 
of  God,  or  choose  them  as  the  friendly  companions  of  his  leisiire 
hours. 

"If  this  tract  has  done  the  readers  any  good,  it  will  influence 
their  conduct,  and  make  them  resolve  never  to  make  themselves 
partakers  of  other  men's  sins,  by  going  to  a  Dissenting  meeting  even 
once ;  whether  on  Sunday  or  week-day,  in  the  morning,  or  after- 
noon, or  evening ;  whether  because  they  hope  to  get  good  or  for 
curiosity  ;  or  to  be  friendly  and  neighborly.  It  is  quite  plain  that 
all  Dissent  is  sin.  Now,  how  very  shocking  it  is,  that  many  good 
sort  of  people  think  really  of  coming  to  church  on  the  Sunday  morn- 
ing, and  then  going  to  meeting  in  the  evening !  But,  people,  I  am 
afraid,  will  have  to  answer,  not  only  for  their  own  sin  in  going  some- 
times, but  for  the  sin  of  tho&e  who  go  always,  and  whom,  by  their 
example,  they  have  encouraged  to  do  so." 

"Christian  Unity,"* 

BY  Henry  William  Wilberforce,  M.  A., 

Incumbent  of  Walmee,  Kent. 

"  What  wonder  such  sentiments  led  to  Rome !  They  spring  from 
it.  'A  corrupt  tree  cannot  bring  forth  good  fruit.'  '  By  their  fruits 
ye  shall  know  them.  Men  do  not  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs 
of  thistles.' " 

*  Referring  to  this  uncharitable  pamphlet  in  a  letter  dated  Bath, 
October  17,  183*7,  he  observes, — "  Mr.  Wilberforce's  life  is  forthcom- 
ing, but  I  expect  it  will  be  a  vei'y  partial  representation  of  him, 
especially  on  the  score  of  his  liberality.  It  is  written  by  his  two 
clerical  sons,  who  are  now  so  high,  that  one  of  them  has  published 


\ 


348        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

Mr.  Wilberforce  sent  me,  as  soon  as  they  were  pub- 
iisbed,  inscribed  with  bis  own  band,  bis  "Practical 
Piety;"  and  bis  work  on  "Slavery"  addressed  "to 
Prince  Talleyrand." 

I  remember,  owing  to  some  occurrence,  Mr.  Wilber- 
force gave  me  an  admonition  never  to  notice  any  tbing 
concerning  one's  self  in  tbe  public  prints,  "If  you 
lo,"  said  be,  "  you  must  notice  every  tbing ;  or  wbat 
passes  unnoticed  will  pass  for  trutb,  wbicb  cannot  be 
:  efuted  ;"  adding,  "  our  cbaracter  and  conduct  must 
'oe  botb  our  defenders  and  advocates." 

He  tben  mentioned  tbe  following  imputation  con- 
cerning himself:  —  "Some  time  ago,  in  Benjamin 
Flower's  '  Cambridge  Journal,'  it  was  said,  '  Behold 
an  instance  of  the  Pharisaism  of  St,  Wilberforce  !  He 
was  lately  seen  walking  up  and  down  in  tbe  Bath 
Pump  Eoom,  reading  bis  prayers,  like  bis  predecessors 
of  old,  w^ho  prayed  in  the  corners  of  the  streets,  to  be 
seen  of  men.' 

"  As  there  is  generally  some  slight  circumstance 
which  perverseness  turns  into  a  charge  or  reproach,  I 
began  to  reflect ;  and  I  soon  found  tbe  occasion  of  the 
calumny ;   and  it  was  this : — I  was  walking  in  tbe 

Pump  Eoom  in  conversation  with  General ;  a 

passage  was  quoted  from  Horace,  the  accuracy  of 
which  was  questioned ;  and,  as  I  bad  a  Horace  in  my 
pocket,  I  sought,   and   found,  and  read  the  words. 

a  tract  in  condemnation  of  Mr.  Baptist  Noel's  candor,  and  calls  upon 
the  members  of  the  church  to  have  *no  social  ov  friendly  intercourse 
with  any  Dissenters,  and  to  visit  them  only  as  subjects  of  poverty 
and  affliction  to  relieve  them.'  Yet  their  honored  father  used  to 
say, — '  Though  I  am  an  Episcopalian,  I  should  like  to  commune  once 
every  year  with  every  Christian  church  that  held  the  Head." 


WILLIAM  WILBEBFORCE,    ESQ.  349 

This  was  the  plain  hit  of  wire  which  factious  malignity 
sharpened  into  a  pin  to  pierce  mj  reputation ;  yet  I 
never  thought  it  worth  while  to  attempt  to  refute  or 
rectify  what  I  could  have  so  easily  done," 

When  there  was  some  thought  of  abridging  the 
privileges  enjoyed  by  Dissenters  under  the  Toleration 
Act,  Mr.  Wilberforce  wrote  to  the  Eeminiscent.  I  am 
sorry  I  have  either  lost  or  mislaid  this  letter ;  but  I 
well  remember  its  contents.  He  expressed  himself  as 
exceedingly  averse  to  the  design,  and  wishing  and 
hoping  that  all  the  interference  of  government  might 
be  avoided.  But  he  would  just  ask  whether  the  Dis- 
senters and  Methodists,  in.  the  licensing  of  preachers, 
would  object  to  the  requisition  of  a  certificate  or  testi- 
mony from  the  churches  to  which  they  belonged.  I  an- 
swered, that,  as  far  as  I  knew  them,  their  apprehen- 
sions were  too  much  excited  to  acquiesce  even  in  such 
an  apparently  safe  measure.  At  that  season,  however, 
and  for  want  of  some  reflection,  I  confess  I  was  rather 
disposed  to  differ  from  them  ;  and  the  more,  as  it  had 
been  till  then  the  wise  and  good  usage  among  them, 
before  any  of  their  members  went  forth  officiating,  to 
receive  a  sanction  from  the  united  approval,  benedic- 
tion, and  prayers  of  the  minister  and  people  in  whose 
communion  they  lived.  And  what  has  been  often  the 
result  of  persons  becoming  preachers  without  consult- 
ing with,  and  unrecommended  by,  any  one  but  them- 
selves ? 

Here  I  remember  a  case  rather  curious  and  instruct- 
ive. A  young  man  thought  he  was  called  to  leave 
common  and  civil  life,  and  to  enter  the  ministry  ; 
neither  his  own  pastor  nor  father  knew  anything  of 
this.     The  persuasion  of  his  sacrec'  destiny  originated 


850        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS   OF   CH\RACTER. 

solely  with  himself.  Thougli  fully  satisfied  minis  own 
mind,  yet  from  a  kind  of  respect  for  a  family  friend, 
and  to  save  appearances,  he  wished  to  converse  with 
me  upon  the  subject.  By  no  means  like-minded  with 
himself,  and  fearful  of  giving  offence  (a  sad  infirmity 
in  such  a  case),  I  begged  him  to  consult  an  older  au- 
thority, and  one  who  I  knew  had  a  firmer,  bolder 
manner.  An  interview  soon  taking  place,  the  young 
man  told  him  that  he  had  been  for  some  time  persuad- 
ed that  h-e  was  called  to  the  ministry  ;  and  asked  his 
aged  adviser  what  he  deemed  the  best  sign  or  evidence 
of  a  Divine  call  to  the  work.  "■  Sir,"  said  the  sage, 
'■'  what  I  should  deem  the  best  sign  or  evidence  would 
be  a  man's  not  thinking  of  it,  but  considering  himself 
the  last  person  in  the  world  God  would  select  for  this 
purpose ;  and  who,  if  God  came  for  him,  would  be 
found  like  Saul,  '  hid  among  the  stuff,'  and  requiring 
an  effort  to  draw  him  out." 

I  remember  his  relating  a  remarkable  circumstance 
concerning  Carlile  the  infidel.  "  The  wretched  crea- 
ture," said  he,  "  was  then  in  the  prison  at  Dorchester, 
having  been  prosecuted  for  his  vile  and  infamous  pub- 
lications. As  I  was  then  visiting  at  the  house  of  a 
magistrate  in  the  neighborhood,  I  thought  I  should 
like  to  see  the  prisoner  and  converse  with  him,  per- 
fectly incog.  After  some  general  conversation,  I  learned 
from  him  something  of  his  former  life,  and  found  that 
he  had  formerly  been  among  the  AVesleyan  Method- 
ists, and  even  a  class-leader.  I  then  began  to  speak 
on  the  subject  of  religion.  He  said  he  did  not  wish 
to  enter  on  that  topic,  for  he  had  long  ago  made  up 
his  mind,  and  did  not  wish  to  have  it  disturbed ;  and, 
seeing  me  take  out  my  little  Bible,  he  said,  '  I  wish  to 


WILLIAM   WILBEKFORCE,    ESQ.  851 

have  notliing  to  do  with,  that  book ;  and  you  cannot 
wonder  at  this,  for  if  that  book  be  true,  I  am  damned 
forever.'  I  was  shocked,  and  said,  '  No,  no,  Mr.  Car- 
lile ;  according  to  that  book,  there  is  hope  for  all  who 
will  seek  for  me^-cj  and  forgiveness ;  for  it  assures  us, 
that  God  hath  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him  that 
dieth.'  I  also  said  more,  but  it  seemed  to  have  no  ef- 
fect at  the  time,  and  I  knew  not  that  it  had  any  after- 
wards. But,"  added  he,  "we  see  (as  we  are  needing 
hope)  how  desirable  and  necessary  it  is  that  there 
should  always  be  an  obvious  and  powerful  ground  for 
it ;  that  despair  hardens  even  more  than  presumption  ; 
and  that  men  hve  so  as  to  make  the  Bible  their  enemy, 
and  then  hate  it  because  it  does  not  prophesy  good 
concerning  them,  but  evil." 

I  cannot  help  adding  a  circumstance  not  irrelevant 
to  this  occurrence.  Preaching  one  Tuesday  evening 
at  Surrey  Chapel,  after  his  (Mr.  Carlile's)  release  from 
prison,  I  mentioned  in  my  sermon  the  above  anecdote. 
When  I  came  down  from  the  pulpit,  some  one  told  me 
that  Carlile  had  been  hearing  me,  and  insisted  upon 
seeing  me.  I  said,  by  all  means ;  desire  him  to  come 
into  the  vestry.  He  entered;  I  arose  and  received 
him  courteously,  and  gave  him  my  hand,  remembering 
that  "  the  servant  of  the  Lord  must  not  strive,  but  be 
patient  towards  all  men,  in  meekness  instructing  those 
that  oppose  themselves,  if  haply  Grod  might  give  them 
repentance  to  the  acknowledging  of  the  truth."  I 
asked  him  for  what  purpose  he  wished  to  see  me.  He 
said,  "  I  do  not  charge  you  with  intentional  misrepre- 
sentation, but  I  have  heard  you  say  this  evening  what 
is  not  true."  Then  stating  what  I  had  related,  I  said, 
"  Are  you  sw-e  this  is  not  true  ?"     "  I  am  :  I  am  certain 


352        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

Mr.  Wilberforce  never  conversed  with  me  or  saw  me 
in  prison."  "Do  you  know  Mr.  Wilberforce  person- 
ally?" "  I  do  not.  I  look  upon  him  as  a  bigoted  but 
very  good  and  benevolent  man ;  but  I  am  sure  I  never 
saw  him."  "Well,  as  you  never  saw  him,  how  are 
you  sure  that,  among  others  who  visited  you,  he  never 
saw  you  in  your  confinement ;  especially  as  his  design 
was  to  keep  himself  unknown  ?  Do  you  think,"  said 
I,  "Wilberforce  would  forge  a  letter,  or  utter  a  serious 
falsehood  ?"  "  No,  I  think  he  would  not."  "  And  as 
for  myself,"  I  said,  "  I  am  sure  I  have  accurately  re- 
ported his  relation,  for  I  received  it  in  writing  at  the 
time."  This  rather  softened  and  silenced  him,  and  he 
only  murmured,  "  Well,  I  remember  nothing  of  it." 

I  desired  him  to  be  seated,  and  said,  "  I  should  be 
glad,  Mr.  Carhle,  to  have  a  little  further  conversation," 
to  which  he  seemed  disposed ;  but  some  of  his  dis- 
ciples, who  had  followed  him  into  the  vestry,  rudely 
urged  him  to  come  away  ;  saying,  "  These  gospel  preach- 
ers will  say  anything  that  serves  their  purpose." 

As  he  had  not  behaved  improperly,  and  as  such 
characters  are  often  too  harshly  treated,  I  felt  a  dispo- 
sition to  pray  for  him,  and  determined  I  would  call 
upon  him.  This  I  did  the  next  day,  but  he  was  not 
at  home,  and  as  I  had  to  leave  London  immediately, 
I  had  no  opportunity  to  renew  the  call.  I  regret  I 
did  not  write  to  him. 

In  their  periodical,  the  week  after,  there  was  a  tol- 
erably fair  account  of  the  thing,  unaccompanied  with 
any  reflections  on  myself. 

I  rhay  add  that  Mr.  Wilberforce,  after  relating  the 
above  occurrence,  said,  "  It  is  a  very  difficult  and  per- 
plexing subject,  but  I  begin  to  question  whether  such 


WILLIAM   WILBERFOIiCE,    ESQ.  853 

prosecutions  are  not  more  injurious  tliau  beneficial; 
as  tliey  awaken  attention  to  the  works,  and  frequently 
enlist  feelings  on  behalf  of  the  writers  ;" — remarking 
that  Carlile,  probably,  did  more  mischief  while  in 
prison,  than  before  his  trial  and  condemnation ; — al- 
luding to  several  tracts  he  issued  while  there,  com- 
posed entirely  of  Scripture,  quoting  only  passages 
which  would  represent  the  Bible  as  filled  exclusively 
with  what  seemed  indelicate  and  impure ;  and  ex- 
cusing, if  not  countenancing,  immorality  ! 

"  It  was,"  says  Lord  Brougham,  "  the  constant  max- 
im of  my  revered  friend,  Mr.  Wilberforce,  that  no  man 
should  be  prosecated  for  his  attacks  on  religion.  He 
gave,  this  opinion  in  Parliament ;  and  he  was  wont  to 
say,  that  the  ground  of  it  was  his  belief  in  the  truth 
of  religion.  If  religion  be,  as  I  believe  it  to  be,  true, 
it  has  nothing  to  fear  from  such  assaults ;  but  it  may 
be  injured  by  the  secular  arm  interposing." 

I  cannot  omit  noticing  my  last  interview  with  him. 
Having  received  a  note  from  Mrs.  WUberforce,  that 
they  should  leave  Bath  in  two  days,  and  mentioning 
the  increased  indisposition  of  her  beloved'  husband, 
and  the  possibility  of  my  not  seeing  him  again,  by 
her  desire  I  called.  I  was  introduced  to  him  alone,  as 
he  was  lying  upon  the  sofa.  Though  it  was  obvious 
that  the  outward  man  was  fast  declming.  all  his  pious 
and  friendly  principles  and  feelings  evinced  their  full 
vigor.  Propriety  required  the  interview  to  be  short ; 
there  could  be,  therefore,  no  lengthened  conversation. 
The  following,  however,  I  have  found,  which  I  wrote 
down  as  soon  as  I  returned,  precluding  any  mistake 
concerning  it. 

Something  had  led  him  to  mention  that  noblest  of 


854        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER 

all  institutions — the  Bible  Society  ;  and  as  the  Trini- 
tarian Bible  Society  was  about  that  time  making  a 
noise  in  our  city,  and  assailing  and  seeking  to  divide 
and  injure  the  old  institution,  he  eagerly  inquired 
whether  there  were  many  defections.  I  told  him  I  be- 
lieved the  defections  were  almost  entirely  confined  to 
his  own  community ;  for  I  did-  not  know,  in  the  circle 
of  my  acquaintance,  one  minister  or  member  among 
all  the  Dissenters  and  Methodists  who  had  revolted. 
"  Well,"  he  said,  "  I  am  thankfnl  for  this ;  and  hope 
the  good  cause  will  continue  to  flourish." 

He  also  said,  "  I  see  what  is  the  best  way  to  reduce 
an  undue  attachment  to  the  subordinate  things  in  re- 
ligion ; — it  is  to  keep  up  a  supreme  regard  to  the  more 
important  ones ;  for  we  shall  then  have  little  time  and 
less  inclination  to  engage  in  the  strivings  and  strifes 
of  bigots." 

He  also  observed,  "  I  see  much  in  the  state  of  the 
world  and  church  which  I  deplore,  yet  I  am  not  among 
the  croakers.  I  think  real  religion  is  spreading  ;  and, 
I  am  persuaded,  will  increasingly  spread,  till  the  earth 
is  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters 
cover  the  sea." 

Taking  my  hand  at  parting,  he  pressed  it  to  his 
bosom,  and  said,  "  I  am  glad  you  have  not  turned 
aside  after  any  of  the  '  lo!  heres'  and  '  lo!  tlieres^  many 
of  which  you  must  have  witnessed ;  but  have  kept  to 
the  common,  plain,  and  important  truths,  in  which  all 
Christians  are  nearly  agreed ;  and  I  hope  3^ou  will 
never  leave  the  good  old  way, — God  bless  you !" 
What  an  intervie«r !  what  a  parting !  Avhat  a  bene- 
diction ! 

I  leave  others  to  speak  of  him  as  a  politician.     I 


WILLIAM   WILBEEFOECE,    ESQ.  855 

know  some  of  tlie  liberals  Avere  mucTi  dissatisfied 
with  him ;  but  he  would  not  be  a  gagged  party  man. 
He  preserved  his  independence  by  accepting  nothing 
from  government ;  and  always  gave  .his  vote  accord- 
ing to  his  conviction.  I  remember  after  the  French 
Eevolution,  and  for  some  time  during  the  war,  when 
the  rage  of  opinion  ran  so  high,  he  more  than  once 
desired  me  to  say  among  my  connexions,  (he  knew 
that  some  whom  he  valued  were  puzzled  and  grieved 
with  his  seeming  devotedness  to  the  prime  minister,) 
that  they  were  not  to  suppose  he  entirely  approved 
of  all  Mr.  Pitt's  measures ;  but  the  times  were  pecu- 
harly  perilous,  and  it  was  necessary  to  support  the 
government  generally,  when  there  were  so  many  ten- 
dencies to  anarchy  and  confusion. 

I  well  remember  how  Mrs.  More  herself,  and  others 
of  his  friends  and  advisers,  wondered,  and  grieved  at 
his  favoring  the  Catholic  Emancipation  Bill.  No  one 
could  dislike  popery  more  than  he  did ;  but  he  thought 
it  reasonable  that  all  its  adherents  should  realize  their 
civil  rights  and  immunities ;  and  that,  with  regard  to 
religious  parties,  all  restraints  and  oppositions  excited 
and  strengthened*  their  zeal  the  more,  and  resembled 
the  dams  in  a  river  that  caused  the  water  to  rise  high- 
er and  spread  wider. — See  a  preceding  letter  to  the 
Eeminiscent  on  this  subject. 

But  time  and  language  would  fail  me  to  speak  of 
this  man  as  a  benefactor,  and  especially  as  the  poor 
negro's  friend.  His  disinterested,  self-denying,  labo- 
rious, un declining  efforts  in  this  cause  of  justice  and 
humanity  are  too  well  known  to  need  enlargement, 
and  will  call  down  the  blessing  of  millions,  and  ages 
yet  to  come  will  glory  in  his  memory. 


356        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

Whose  very  soul  hns  not  melted,  not  only  at  the 
poetry,  but  the  praise  of  the  sonnet,  by  the  author  of 
the  "Task" ?— 

"Thy  country,  Wilberforce,  with  just  disdain. 

Hears  thee  by  cruel  men  and  impious  call'd 

Fanatic,  for  thy  zeal  to  loose  the  enthrall'd 
From  exile,  public  sale,  and  olavery's  chain  ; 

Friend  of  the  poor,  the  wronged,  the  fetter-galled. 
Fear  not  lest  labor  such  as  thine  be  vain. 

Thou  hast  achieved  a  part ;  hast  gained  the  ear 
Of  Britain's  Senate  to  thy  glorious  cause  ; 
Hope  smiles,  Joy  springs  ;  and  tbough  cold  Caution  pause, 

And  weave  delay,  the  better  hour  is  near 

That  shall  remunerate  thy  toils  severe. 
By  peace  for  Afrie,  fenced  with  British  laws. 

Enjoy  what  thou  hast  won,  esteem  and  love 

From  all  the  Just  on  earth,  and  all  the  Blest  above." 

But  who  or  what  can  do  justice  to  such  a  charactei '/ 
Every  notice  of  him  is  necessarily  an  eulogy.  Here 
was  a  man,  not  only  great  among  the  good,  but  good 
among  the  great.  The  most  popular  man  (according 
to  Madame  de  Stael)  in  this  country,  and  yet  an  ex- 
ample of  "  whatsoever  things  are  true,  whatsoever 
things  are  honest,  whatsoever  things  are  just,  whatso- 
ever things  are  pure,  whatsoever  things  are  lovely, 
whatsoever  things  are  of  good  report,"  whatsoever 
things  have  any  virtue  or  any  praise  in  them. 

But  what,  amidst  so  much  and  such  varied  inter- 
course with  company  and  scenes  so  little  favorable  to 
religious  decision  and  improvement,  enabled  him  to 
maintain  such  spirituality  and  fervor,  and  to  be  always 
ready  to  engage  so  easily  and  naturally  in  pious  con- 
versation and  exercises  ? 


WILLIAM   WILBERFORCE,    ESQ.  357 

First.  The  firmness  of  his  convictions.  Eeligious 
sentiments  in  him  were  firm,  were  not  opinions,  but 
principles.  That  is,  sentiments  which  had  attached  to 
them  both  certainty  and  importance. 

Secondly.  His  inviolable  sanctification  of  the  Lord's 
day.  With  him  how  truly  was  the  Sabbath  a  delight, 
and  the  holy  of  the  Lord,  honorable  !  When  did  he 
not  "  turn  away  his  foot  from  the  Sabbath  from  pol- 
luting it,  not  doing  his  own  ways,  not  finding  his  own 
pleasure,  not  speaking  his  own  words"  ? 

I  was  once  dining  with  him  on  the  Sabbath  :  it  was 
before  his  marriage.  We  were  quite  alone ;  no  servant 
was  in  attendance ;  we  had  only  a  dumb-waiter.  The 
conversation  turned  upon  the  subject  of  my  discourse 
that  morning — "  The  harvest  is  past,  the  summer  is 
ended,  and  we  are  not  saved" — of  which  he  begged 
the  outline.  "  I  just  now,"  he  said,  "  met  Mr.  Bushe 
on  the  North  Parade  ;  he  told  me  there  was  very  bad 
news  ;  but  I  did  not  ask  concerning  it,  and  I  dare  not 
open  a  paper  on  the  Lord's  day." 

Thirdly.  His  always  attending,  when  in  his  power, 
the  House  of  God  and  the  preaching  of  the  Word,  and 
that  word  which  was  found  to  be  the  savor  of  life  unto 
life. 

Fourthly.  His  family  worship.  Here  I  refer  not 
only  to  its  existence  and  regularity,  but  to  the  manner 
in  which  he  discharged  it.  What  a  solemn  importance 
seemed  always  attached  to  it !  What  a  freedom  from 
formality !  What  a  simplicity  in  the  performance ! 
What  a  seriousness  and  degree  of  impression,  and  of 
effect! 

Fifthly — and  perhaps  above  all — His  determination 
to  secure  time  for  private  devotion.     This  befriended 


358         rRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CnARACTER. 

the  effect  two  ways — first,  by  the  natural  influence  of 
these  exercises  themselves;  secondly,  by  the  supply 
of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  prayer,  and  espec- 
ially such  prayer,  is  accredited  to  obtain.  "Draw 
nigh  to  God,  and  he  will  draw  nigh  to  you."  "  But 
when  thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet ;  and  when 
thou  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father  who  is  in 
secret ;  and  thy  Father  who  seeth  in  secret  shall  re- 
Avard  thee  openly." 

It  would  not  only  be  needless  but  presumptuous  in 
me  to  speak  of  his  senatorial  rank  and  claims.  It  is 
undisputed  what  an  eminent  place  in  oratory  he  occu- 
pied and  maintained,  when  eloquence  in  the  House  of 
Commons  rivalled  that  of  Athens  and  Rome.  His 
voice  was  fine,  deep,  clear,  distinct,  and  flexible ;  his 
animation  was  often  great;  and  the  impression  of 
many  of  his  speeches,  especially  of  those  he  dehvered 
on  the  Abolition  of  the  Slave  Trade,  peculiarly  pow- 
erful. 

"I  never,"  saj-s  Mackintosh,  "saw  any  one  who 
touched  life  at  so  many  points ;  and  this  is  the  more 
remarkable  in  a  man  who  is  supposed  to  live  absolute- 
ly in  the  contemplation  of  a  future  state.  "When  he 
was  in  the  House  of  Commons,  he  seemed  to  have  the 
freshest  mind  of  any  of  those  there.  There  was  all 
the  charm  of  youth  about  him,  and  he  is  quite  as  re- 
markable in  this  bright  evening  of  his  day  as  when  I 
saw  him  in  his  glory  many  years  ago." 

"  I  never,"  says  Southey,  "  saw  any  other  man  who 
seemed  to  enjoy  such  a  perpetual  serenity  and  sun- 
shine of  spirit.  In  conversing  with  him  you  feel  assur- 
ed that  there  is  no  guile  in  him  ;  t  Bat  if  ever  there  was 
a  good  man,  and  a  happy  man  or  earth,  he  was  one." 


WILLIAM   WILBERFORCE,    ESQ.  359 

Again :  "  There  is  such  a  constant  hilarity  in  every 
look  and  motion,  such  a  sweetness  in  all  his  tones, 
such  a  benignity  in  all  his  thoughts,  words,  and  ac- 
tions— that  you  can  feel  nothing  but  love  and  admira- 
tion for  a  creature  of  so  happy  and  blessed  a  nature." 

APPENDIX  BY   THE   EDITORS. 

Having  found  the  following  additional  letters  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wilberforce  to  Mr.  Jay,  we  venture  to  insert 
them  as  further  proofs  of  their  friendly  and  confiden- 
tial intercourse. 

If  any  of  the  readers  of  this  article  should  also  have 
been  readers  of  Mr.  Wilberforce's  Life  by  his  sons,  as 
.is^more  than  probable,  the  disclosures  here  made  will 
be  surprising,  and  in  some  respects  painful.  It  will 
be  no  matter  of  surprise  that  two  such  men,  holding 
similar  religious  views,  and  residing  in  Bath  at  the 
close  of  the  last  century,  when  Evangelical  preaching 
was  rare  in  the  Church,  should  have  become  friends  ; 
and  that  the  friendship  of  two  such  souls  should  have 
become  permanent,  and  ripen  into  mutual  cordiality 
and  confidence.  But  the  matter  of  surprise  and  pain 
will  be  to  observe  that  a  Life  of  Wilberforce  could  pos- 
sibly have  been  written,  and  a  voluminous  Life  too,  in 
which  it  could  be  made  to  appear  that  there  existed 
between  them  nothing  but  a  mere  cold,  slight,  and  on 
Mr.  "Wilberforce's  side,  not  very  respectful  or  pohte 
acquaintance. 

For  the  purpose  of  enabling  the  readers  of  Mr.  Jay's 
Eeminiscence  of  Wilberforce  to  judge  of  the  represent- 
ation of  this  matter  by  the  two  reverend  sons  who  have 
tak"u  upon  them  virtually  to  ignore  the  friendly  inti- 


360         PKACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF   CHARACTER. 

macy  of  tlieir  father  with  the  Dissenting  Minister  of 
Bath,  we  shall  extract  from  their  Work  all  the  notices 
of  Mr.  Jay  we  have  been  able  to  find,  and  then  an 
opinion  may  be  formed  of  the  spirit  which  dictated 
this  meagre,  and  not  very  delicate,  exhibition  of  facts 
for  public  perusal  from  Mr.  Wilbcrforce's  Diary. 

Vol.  II.,  p.  234,  under  date  1797. 

"Sunday.  Randolph's,  morning — ^Evening,  Jay's 
— comfortable,  happy  Sunday." 

Vol.  II.,  p.  240.     Same  year. 

"  Asked  to  subscribe  to  Jay's  velvet  cushion,  but  re- 
fused." 

Vol.  n.,  p.  313— date  1798. 

"  Sir  George  Beaumont,  Creykes,  &c.,  with  us.  Jay 
told  us  his  origin  and  story  very  simply,  a  bricklayer 
employed  at  Beckford's  house — began  to  preach  at 
16 — humble  and  not  democratical." 

Vol.  II.,  p.  351.— date  1799. 

"I  found  that  so  much  use  was  made  of  my  going 
to  Jay's  that  I  have  kept  away." 

Vol.  II.,  p.  361.  Date  1800.  Referring  to  a  pro- 
jected Bill  to  restrict  Dissenting  preachers,  and  stating 
that  he  had  explained  to  Mr.  Pitt  the  only  limitation 
of  the  Toleration  Act  to  which  he  would  consent,  viz., 
that  no  one  should  exercise  the  office  of  a  Teacher 
without  a  testimonial  from  the  sect  to  which  he  be- 
longed, he  says : 

"This  would- just  put  a  stop  to  the  practice  which  I 
am  told  prevails  at  Salisbury,  and  (as  I  heard  from  Mr. 
Jay,  the  Dissenting  Minister)  at  Bath,  of  a  number  of 
raw,  ignorant  lads,  going  out  on  preaching  parties 
every  Sunday." 

Vol.  v.,  p."^258,  date  1825. 


WILLIAM   WILBERFORCE,    ESQ.  361 

" at  Jay's,  where  I  greatly  wished  to  go,  but 

thought  it  -wrong." 

This  sentence  seems  ambiguous  through  the  omis- 
sion of  a  name.  It  evidently  refers  to  some  person  in 
Mr.  Wilberforce's  family,  less  scrupulous  than  him- 
self, who  went  to  hear  Mr.  Jay  (possibly  Mrs.  W.) 
"We  are  at  a  loss  to  conceive  for  what  purpose  the  ex- 
tract was  made,  unless  to  give  publicity  to  Mr.  Wil- 
berforce's opinion,  that  it  was  wrong  for  him  to  go  to 
the  Dissenting  Chapel  to  hear  the  Dissenting  Minister 
with  whom  he  had  been  on  terms  of  the  strictest  friend- 
ship for  nearly  thirty  years,  whom  he  had  frequently 
entertained  at  his  table,  introduced  to  his  selectest 
friends,  corresponded  with  familiarly  and  confidential- 
ly, and  allowed  his  name  to  appear  in  the  dedication  of 
one  of  his  works,  expressing  his  sense  of  the  honor, 
and  his  gratification  at  the  request,  and  adding,  "it 
gives  me  unaffected  pleasure  to  reflect  that  my  name 
will  thus  be  permanently  associated  with  yours."  Thus 
wrote  Mr.  Wilberforce,  Dec.  30,  1831. 

After  this,  as  appears  from  the  foregoing  Eeminis- 
cence,  Mr.  Jay^  visited  Mr.  Wilberfore  during  his  ill- 
ness at  Bath,  at  the  special  request  conveyed  to  him  by 
Mrs.  W.,  when  other  esteemed  friends  were  not  allowed 
access  to  him.  From  these  facts  it  appears  that  there 
had  been  no  suspension  of  intercourse  or  decay  of 
friendship,  either  between  1799  and  1825,  or  from  1825 
to  the  end  of  the  year  1831,  when  he  so  kindly  and 
gracefully  accepted  the  dedication  of  "The  Christian 
Contemplated."  Even  the  entry  made  in  the  Diary  in 
the  year  1799,  respecting  his  "  keeping  away  firom 
Jay's  Chapel,  because  so  much  use  was  made  of  it,"  is 
certainly  not  intended  to  intimate  that  after  that  period 
16 


0 
362         PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF   CHARACTER. 

he  never  attended  again  ;  for  it  is  well  known  that  he 
did  go  after  that  date. 

In  the  Correspondence  now  published  there  is  a  note 
dated  a  year  after  any  notice  of  Mr.  Jay  given  in  the 
Life  of  Wilberforce,  "  Queen's  Square,  May  26, 1826," 
in  wliich  Mr.  Wilberforce  requests  directions  of  Mr. 
Jay  where  in  Bristol  he  might  find  Mr.  nail's  Chapel, 
saying,  "  We  may  probably  be  able  to  go  to  Mr.  Hall's 
Chapel  on  Sunday."  If  Mr.  Wilberforce  had  relin- 
quished so  early  as  1799  the  pleasure  and  profit  of  at- 
tending upon  Mr.  Jay's  ministry,  and  in  1825  thought 
that  it  was"  wrong^''  that  is,  morally  sinful,  though  he 
wished  for  it  greatly,  would  he  have  asked  the  way  to 
another  Dissenting  Chapel  in  1826,  and  would  he,  or 
could  he  have  said  in  the  same  note  of  inquiry,  /  can- 
not hut  sincerely  regret  my  not  having  had  the  profit  and 
pleasure  of  hearing  you  and  joining  with  you  in  worship 
during  this  visit  to  Bath  V 

It  is  certainly  not  impossible  that  the  same  pen 
should  have  written  the  two  notices  in  the  Diary  re- 
specting attendance  at  Mr.  Jay's  Chapel,  and  those  other 
sentences  we  have  quoted  from  the  Letter  of  May  26, 
1826,  to  Mr.  Jay.  But  if  it  did,  then  something  un- 
mentioned  would,  if  known,  reconcile  them  with  hon- 
or and  integrity,  or  some  intentional  concealment  gives 
them  the  appearance  of  contradiction.  If  no  exjila- 
nation  can  be  given  of  this  matter,  Mr.  Wilberforce's 
memory  will  have  to  bear  the  suspicion  of  hollow  pro- 
fession and  faithless  friendship,  or  the  monument  his 
reverend  sons  have  reared  to  his  memory  will  convey 
a  false  impression. 

Those  two  good  and  great  men  while  living  appear 
to  have  had  no  misunderstandino;  and  no  alienation 


WILLIAM   WILBEEFORCE,    ESQ.  363 

througli  a  friendship  of  thirty-five  years,  and  they 
have  now  met  in  a  happier  world,  and  united  in  purer 
worship  than  they  ever  joined  in  here.  But  the  Biog- 
raphy of  the  one  was  undoubtedly  made  the  means  of 
deej)ly  wounding  the  heart  of  the  other ;  because  he 
was  conscious  that  it  gave  to  the  world  a  most  imper- 
fect and  unjust  view  of  the  long  friendship  which  had 
existed  between  himself  and  Mr,  Wilberforce.  It  had 
been  kinder  and  wiser,  as  it  now  appears,  not  to  have 
let  the  world  know  that  Mr.  Wilberforce  had  any  ac- 
quaintance with  the  Dissenting  Minister  of  Bath,  or 
had  ever  delighted  to  hear  and  to  patronize  him,  than 
to  have  inserted  the  few  slighting  and  ambiguous  ex- 
tracts we  have  cited  from  the  Diary. 

Mr.   Wilberforce  to  Mr.  Jay. 

Near  London — May  Vth,  1805. 

My  dear  Sir, — I  •will  not  quite  take  you  at  your  word  and  return 
no  answer  at  all ;  but  I  will  so  far  avail  myself  of  your  friendly  al- 
lowance for  me,  as  merely  to  thank  you  for  your  kind  communica- 
tion. 

Arclibishop  TJslier's,  and  Bishop  Bedell's  Life,  have  long  been  in 
my  library,  and  have  been  favorites  with  me. — I  have  often  quoted 
them  to  some  of  our  Irish  Rulers ;  and  had  their  examples  been  fol- 
lowed, Ireland  would  have  been  in  a  far  better  state, 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  yours  faithfully, 

W.    "WiLBERFOROE. 

p.  S. — ^The  memorandum  I  hope  to  get  to-morrow  when  I  go  to 
town.     I  am  detained  here  to-day  by  indisposition. 

Mr.   Wilberforce  to  Mr.  Jay. 

Pulteney  St. — Wednesday. 

My  dear  Sir, — Will  you  and  Mrs.  Jay  dine  with  us  on  Friday 

next,  at  half-past  four  or  a  quarter  before  five,  to  meet  my  friends, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Noel,  with  whom  I  wish  to  bring  you  well  acquainted  I 

And  may  I  beg  you  to  bring  your  son-in-law,  Mr.  Bolton  also,  on 


364         rKACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF   CnAKACTEE. 

whom  I  meant  to  call  in  order  to  entitle  myself  to  ask  him ;  but  I 
trust  he  will  excuse  the  breach  of  ceremony.  I  hope  his  lady  and 
little  one  are  doing  well. 

"With  cordial  esteem  and  regard, 
My  dear  Sir, 

Ever  sincerely  yours, 

W.  WiLBERFOEOB. 

Mr.  Wilberforce  to  Mr.  Jay. 

Maidenhead  Bridge,  28th  August,  1817. 
My  dear  Sir, — One  word  merely  to  satisfy  you  that  your  lettei 
has  reached  my  hands.  I  thank  you  for  pointing  out  to  me  how  I 
may  fulfil  my  intention  of  begging  Dr.  Kollock's  acceptance  of  a 
pledge  of  my  friendly  esteem ;  though,  unless,  on  my  return  home, 
I  find  Mr.  Verplank's  address,  or  unless  you  can  favor  me  with  it,  I 
I  shall  stiU  be  at  a  loss.  If  I  find  the  former  not  to  be  the  case,  I 
will— 

(Here  the  letter  breaks  off  and  is  taken  up  again.) 

Near  London, — December  26,  1817. 

Such  was  actually  a  letter  I  meant  to  send  to  you  four  months 
ago  ;  and  I  now  send  it  chiefly  to  do  myself  justice  both  with  you 
and  other  gentlemen  concerned,  by  preventing  its  being  supposed 
that  I  had  neglected  the  business.  I  found  Mr,  Verplank's  ad- 
dress after  a  time  (I  think  at  the  Northumberland  Coffee  House) 
but  he  was  gone  from  it. 

What,  however,  has  prompted  me  now  to  despatch  this  long  re- 
tained letter,  is  my  wishing  to  request  from  you  in  confidence  any 
intelligence  you  can  send  mo  concerning  .  A  more  intem- 
perate, or,  in  all  respects,   unadvised  publication  I  scarcely  ever 

read.     Who  is  Mr, ?     What  his  connections  ?     What  his  talents 

and  acquirements  ?  *  *  *  « 

Let  me  assure  you,  with  best  remembrances  to  Mrs,  Jay,  that 
I  am  with  cordial  esteem  and  regard, 

My  dear  Sir, 

Yours  sincerely, 

W,   WiLBEBFORCE. 


Excuse  the  effects  of  great  and  necessary  haste. 


WILLIAM   WILBERFOKCE,    ESQ.  365 

Mr.  Wilberforce  to  Mr.  Jay. 

No.  8,  North  Parade,  Saturday,  19th  September,  1829. 

My  dear  Sm, — When  we  arrived  at  Bath  •we  were  told  you  were 
absent,  but  soon  after  we  heard  you  had  returned,  and  ever  since 
I  have  been  wishing,  and  Mrs.  W  not  less,  though  she  knew  of 
Mrs.  Jay's  absence,  to  pay  our  respects  to  you.  But  the  weather 
has  been  so  variable,  as  to  render  it  quite  unsafe  for  any  one  who, 
like  myself,  may  probably  suffer  greatly  from  the  slightest  exposure 
to  rain,  to  venture  far  from  shelter,  or  from  a  sedan  chair.  Our 
time,  however,  is  hasting  away,  and  it  would  really  grieve  me  to 
have  visited  Bath  without  seeing  an  old  friend  whom  I  so  sincerely 
esteem  and  love.  Will  you  give  us  the  pleasure  of  your  company 
in  the  way  in  which  we  enjoyed  it  formerly — you  taking  your  tea 
while  we  are  at  our  dinner  ?  Do  name  a  day  on  which  we  may 
hope  to  enjoy  this  pleasure  at  half-past  four  o'clock. 

Believe  me,  with  cordial  attachment, 
Ever  sincerely  yours, 

The  Rev.  Wm,  Jay.  W.  Wilberfoece. 

P>  S. — We  have  heard  with  unfeigned  concern  of  Mrs.  Jay's  in- 
disposition, and  hope  she  is  mending. 

If  the  sayne  to  you,  I  had  rather  see  you  any  other  day  than  Mon- 
day next ;  but  if  that  day  suit  you  better,  I  will  make  it  convenient 
to  us  also. 

Mrs.  Wilberforce  to  Mr.  Jay. 

Elmdon  House,  Birmingham,  December  29th,  1831. 
Mt  dear  Sir, — Allow  me  to  offer  you  many  thanks  for  your  most 
kind  and  acceptable  present,  in  addition  to  the  most  valuable 
"  Morning  Thoughts."  May  we  only  all  of  us  profit  by  them  as 
we  ought.  I  am  very  sorry  I  have  not  been  able  to  write  sooner, 
as  you  wished  to  hear  from  me  before  you  take  measures  respecting 
the  stereotyping.  It  gave  us  much  satisfaction  to  hear  of  the  former 
volumes  having  been  thus  fixed,  and  that  these  latter  ones  are  to 
share  their  fate ;  and  America  to  profit  by  them  as  well  as  Eng- 
land. We  cannot  offer  any  alterations.  I  should  have  said  that 
my  husband  gladly  accepts  the  undivided  moiety  which  you  offer 
him  in  tliese  volumes.  But  I  hope  he  will  add  a  few  words  for 
himself,  though  you  know  his  eyes  forbid  much  writing,  and  I  am 
sorry  to  say  that  we  have  much  business  of  an  uncomfortable  nature 


S66        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

demanding  time  and  writing,  which  has  been  one  of  the  results  of 
onr  losses  ;  until  we  are  a  little  freer  from  these  demands,  more 
falls  to  Mr.  W.'s  share  to  dictate  and  write  than  is  good  for  him ; 
added  to  all  which  we  have  now  much  anxiety  about  our  dear 
daughter's  health.  Her  brother  found  her  far  from  well — and  as 
she  has  a  cough,  which  I  fear  began  l)efore  her  confinement,  and 
still  hangs  on  her,  though  till  very  lately  little  noticed  by  her 
medical  man,  we  know  not  yet  what  to  expect  respecting  her.  Her 
brother  Robei't  lias  liitherto  remained  with  her,  hoping  to  send  us 
better  accounts,  but  as  yet  they  are  not  mended,  and  we  are  very 
uneasy  about  her.  You,  my  dear  Sir,  who  have  now  above  a 
twelvemonth  been  suffering  from  much  anxiety  and  daily  sorrow, 
will  know  how  to  sympathize  with  us. 

I  write  to-day  in  much  haste — therefore  will  not  enter  on  this  sad 
Bible  Society  question ;  but  with  best  regards,  and  every  good  wish 
to  yourself,  Mrs.  Jay,  and  all  your  family,  subscribe  myself. 
My  dear  Sir, 

Your  much  obliged  and  sincere, 

B.    A.  WiLBERFORCE. 

Since  writing  the  above  I  am  thankful  to  be  able  to  say,  we  have 
heard  a  much  better  account  of  our  daughter.  The  cough  seems 
yielding,  and  we  are  encouraged  to  hope  there  is  no  cause  for 
alarm     and  that  we  shall  soon  hear  she  is  better. 


MRS.   HANNAH  MORE. 

Some  time  after  the  publication  of  tlie  life  of  Mrs. 
More  in  five  volumes,  and  which  (with  a  few  excep- 
tions) I  much  approved,  I  received,  being  then  in 
London,  the  following  note: — 

141  Strand,  Monday,  March  9. 
Reverend  Sie, — Tn  consequence  of  the  communication  made  here 
this  day  by  your  son,  respecting  a  new  Memoir  of  my  late  excellent 
friend  Mrs.  H.  More,  I  write  to  say  it  will  afford  me  mucli  pleasure 
in  having  a  conference  with  you  upon  the  subject. — "Will  it  suit 
your  convenience  to  call  upon  me  to-morrow  between  twelve  and 
four  ?     Or  shall  I  call  upon  you  between  twelve  and  three  ? 

Your  obedient  servant, 

Thos.  Cadell. 

The  interview  explained  the  design.  Many  persons, 
he  said,  "  had  expressed  a  wish  for  a  memoir  of  his  ad- 
mired friend,  more  select  and  compendious,"  &c. ;  and 
he  asked  if,  knowing  her  as  I  did,  I  would  undertake 
it.  I  immediately  declined,  saying,  I  wanted  leisure, 
and  did  not  deem  myself  fully  adequate  to  the  work ; 
that,  with  whatever  candor  I  wrote,  a  tinge  of  my  own 
principles  as  a  Dissenter  would  hardly  be  avoidable ; 
that  Mrs.  More  was  an  Episcopahan,  and  a  very  large 
majority  of  her  connexions  belonged  to  the  Estab- 
lished Church  ;  and  that  an  author  of  her  own  com- 


368        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

munity  had  better  be  employed,  especially  for  his  own 
profit  as  the  publisher.  He  said,  in  reply,  that  the 
objection  did  not  weigh  with  him  ;  but,  if  I  declined, 
he  had  an  offer  from  a  clergyman,  which,  as  yet,  was 
unanswered,  &c.  I  also  intimated  that  it  was  probable 
I  should  leave  behind  me  a  reminiscence  of  her,  along 
with  some  others. 

The  intimation  is  here  imperfectly  realized. 

With  this  eminent  and  excellent  woman  I  was,  by 
the  kind  providence  of  God,  early  and  intimately  ac- 
quainted. When  I  took  up  my  residence  in  Bath,  she 
had  a  house  in  Pulteney -street,  in  which  she  passed 
the  winter-half  of  the  year.  To  this  I  had  a  free  and 
welcome  access,  which  was  the  more  inviting,  as  it  af- 
forded an  opportunity  of  frequently  meeting  with  very 
interesting  company,  though  none  was  so  attractive 
and  engaging  as  her  own. 

Mr.  Pope  has  said,  "  Most  women  have  no  character 
at  all."  If  this  be  intended  to  satirize,  it  fails  of  its 
purpose  ;  and,  as  it  is  ordained  that,  in  their  complete 
state,  light  should  be  without  color,  air  without  odor, 
and  water  without  taste,  so  it  is  actually  the  perfection 
of  woman  to  be  characterless.  Mrs.  ]\Iore  had  the 
proof  of  ti'ue  greatness,  to  be  distinguished  by  nothing 
extraordinary  on  ordinary  occasions.  In  her  habits  she 
had  no  little  peculiarities,  or  solecisms,  or  wonderful- 
nesses.  When,  therefore,  Mr.  Hall,  returning  one  day 
from  a  visit  to  her  house,  was  asked  by  an  eager  in- 
quirer what  he  found  in  Mrs.  More  remarkable,  an- 
swered, "  Nothing,  ma'am." 

She  was  perfectly  free  from  all  direet  and  indirect 
attempts  at  display,  so  that  no  one  in  the  company 
was  terrified  into  silence  by  a  profusion  of  talent,  but 


MRS.   HANNAH   MORE.  369 

each  was  rather  encouraged  to  speak.  Nor,  tlioiigh 
entitled  to  take  the  lead  in  conversation,  did  she  en- 
gross a  disproportionate  share  of  the  discourse.  Yet 
she  spoke  with  great  ease  and  elegance,  and  what  she 
delivered  was  always  seasonable,  and  pertinent,  and 
tending  to  usefulness.  No  one  could  be  freer  from  the 
common  fault  of  tale-bearing  and  scandal,  or  more 
heedful  of  the  admonition,  "  Speak  evil  of  no  man." 

At  the  period  after  the  French  Eevolution,  when 
there  was  such  fierceness  of  party  spirit,  both  political 
and  ecclesiastical,  it  was  surprising  with  v/hat  address 
she  continued  to  manage  and  harmonize  the  differing 
parts  of  her  company ;  so  that,  if  they  met  as  foes,  they 
separated  as  friends. 

On  one  side  Mrs.  More's  parentage  was  descended 
from  Nonconformists,  but  she  herself  preferred  the 
Establishment ;  not,  however,  to  the  unchurching  of 
other  churches,  or  the  invalidating  of  the  orders  of 
their  pastors.  For  many  years  after  my  settlement  in 
Bath,  I  never  heard  of  any  clergyman  of  a  decidedly 
evangelical  character  officiating  in  any  of  the  Estab- 
lished pulpits ;  so  that  when  Newton,  Scott,  Cecil, 
Foster,  and  others  visited  our  city,  they  had  access 
only  to  my  father-in-law's  church  at  Bath  Easton,  who 
held  the  same  sentiments  with  themselves.  As,  there- 
fore, Mrs.  More  had  begun  increasingly  to  appreciate 
and  relish  a  certain  kind  of  preaching,  as  to  docti'ine, 
she  made  no  scruple  to  sacrifice  a  little  of  the  Episco- 
palian, and  Sittended  freqiientli/  and  commonly  in  Argyle 
Chapel. 

I  think  I  have  elsewhere  mentioned  some  hints 
which  I  received  from  her  as  to  delivery  and  composi- 
tion ;  but  here  I  remark  one  thing  only,  with  regard 
16* 


870       PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

1o  preaching.  Even  in  tliis  more  early  stage  of  her 
religious  experience,  and  notwithstanding  her  talents, 
if  she  peculiarly  noticed  a  sermon,  it  was  sure  to  be 
not  one  that  betrayed  a  little  ingenuity  or  originality 
in  the  preacher,  but  one  that  bore  upon  the  conscience 
of  the  hearer,  and  was  most  likely  to  awaken  and  con- 
vert the  sinner ;  observing,  that  preaching  was  an  in- 
strument, and  that  the  best  instrument  was  that  which 
answered  its  end  best ;  adding,  "  a  knife  is  valued  for 
its  edge,  and  not  for  its  ebon  handle."  Thus,  even 
her  praise,  like  everything  else  about  her,  was  moral, 
instructive,  and  edifying. 

From  hence  may  not  some  preachers  derive  a  lesson  ? 
When  they  preach  before  an  individual  or  two  of 
greater  learning  and  talent  than  themselves,  in  order 
to  suit  and  please  them^  how  often  are  they  tempted  to 
overlook  the  body  of  the  congregation,  and  to  drop 
familiar  illustrations  and  striking  applications,  which 
would  be  useful  to  the  common  people  and  the  poor  ! 
But,  first,  are  hearers,  merely  on  account  of  literary 
or  intellectual  endowments,  deserving  of  such  exclu- 
sive, or  at  least  peculiar,  reference  and  regard  ?  And, 
secondly,  are  even  such  personages  always,  or  com- 
monly, pleased  with  such  (shall  I  call  it  ?)  flattery  or 
partiality  ?  If  they  have  anything  like  piety  and  be- 
nevolence, as  well  as  personal  distinction,  they  will  al- 
ways commend  a  discourse  which  is  best  adapted  to 
benefit  the  people  at  large.  Such  an  aim,  therefore, 
has  frequently  failed  of  its  purpose  ;  and  the  mistaken 
preacher  has  been  unprofitable  to  the  manv,  and  not 
acceptable  to  the  select  few.  "What  case  is  there  in 
which  he  who  walketh  uprightly  does  not  walk  sure 
ly?     And  in  what  does  not  God  honor  those  that 


MRS.   HANNAH  MORE.  871 

honor  him  ?  Perhaps  a  personal  allusion  here  may 
hardl}^  be  allowable ;  otherwise  I  would  say  that,  as  I 
have  had  more  opportunities  of  addressing  such  pecu- 
liar individuals  than  some  of  my  brethren,  so  I  was 
never  induced  by  their  presence  to  alter  the  manner 
of  my  preaching,  which  I  had  been  led  from  convic- 
tion to  adopt ;  and  I  never  found  that  I  had  cause  to 
repent  of  my  consistency. 

Besides  Mrs.  More's  attendance  on  my  ministry,  she 
did  (oh !  tell  it  not  in  Gath,  publish  it  not  in  the  streets 
of  Askalon  !)  she  did,  one  Sabbath  (oh,  let  that  day 
be  darkness !  let  not  God  regard  it  from  above  !)  she 
did — affected  by  the  discourse  she  had  been  hearing 
on  the  love  of  Christ,  and  feeling  powerfully  inchned 
to  remain,  and  join  with  those  who  were  just  going  to 
commemorate  the  death  of  their  common  Saviour — 
she  actually  did  stay,  and  partake  with  them  ! 

The  offence,  it  would  seem,  was  not  repeated.     She, 

therefore,  years  after,  applied  to  me,  by  Mr.  H , 

for  a  kind  of  certificate  that  she  had  only  received  the 
communion  in  Argyle  Chapel  once ;  saying,  that  it  was 
not  with  her  for  a  moment  a  question  of  right  or  wrong ^ 
but  of  truth  or  falsehood^  for  the  Anti- Jacobin  Eeview 
and  other  enemies  had  charged  her  with  the  thing  as 
her  common  practice ;  whilst  she,  whenever  asked,  had 
said  it  was  a  single  deed. 

The  affair  itself  excited  much  animadversion  and 
censure  at  the  time,  and  also  since.  There  was  also 
some  misrepresentation  of  the  fact  itself.  Dr.  Yalpy, 
in  particular,  in  his  reminiscences,  has  related  the  ac- 
count of  this  awful  transaction,  given  him,  he  says,  by 
Mrs.  More  herself.  I  am  far,  very. far  indeed,  from 
accusing  such  a  man  of  wilful  misstatement  ;    but. 


](2        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

could  I  believe  in  the  exactoess  of  the  relation,  I 
should  despise,  as  much  as  I  now  respect,  the  memory 
of  Mrs.  More,  whose  veracity  and  honor  were  unim- 
peachable. The  inaccuracy  of  the  circwnistances,  there- 
fore, was  doubtless  casual,  and  probably  arose,  after  a 
distance  of  time,  from  indistinctness  in  remembering 
.1  conversation  too  trifling,  in  such  an  article,  to  have 
made  a  very  deep  impression  upon  so  occupied  and 
candid  a  mind  as  that  of  Dr.  Valpy. 

The  late  Mr.  Owen,  Secretary  to  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society,  assured  me  he  was  once  pres- 
ent at  the  table  of  Bishop  Porteus,  Avhen  this  aflfair 
was  mentioned  in  a  way  not  very  friendly  to  Mrs. 
More.  The  narrator  had  enlarged  the  thing,  and  sev- 
eral clergymen  present  had  much  censured  it ;  but  his 
Lordship,  stripping  ojff  the  additions,  and  stating  the 
case  precisely  as  it  took  place,  and  which  he  could  do, 
from  his  intimacy  with  Mrs.  More,  said,  \vith  a  smile, 
"  This  is  the  front  of  the  offending ;  but  it  had  been 
better,  especially  for  the  sake  of  her  friends,  not  to 
have  done  it." 

This,  from  such  a  quarter,  was  rather  candid ;  but 
he  might  have  said,  as  the  late  Rev.  Eichard  Cecil  did, 
when  hearing  of  a  similar  accusation  against  a  good 
churchman, — "  Have  ye  not  read  what  David  did, 
when  he  was  an  hungered,  and  they  that  were  with 
him  ;  how  he  went  into  the  house  of  God,  and  did  eat 
the  shew-bread,  which  it  was  not  lawful  to  eat,  only 
for  the  priests  ?" 

And  now,  what  do  the  spread  of  such  clamors  and 
tbe  need  of  such  denials  and  apologies  imply  ?  Is  it  a 
etate  of  things  which  a  mind  imbued  with  the  spirit 
of  the  New  Testament  can  approve  ?    Are  we  not  only 


MES,   HANNAH   MORE.  373 

to  have  our  own  convictions,  but  to  forbid  every  one 
else  to  be  fully  persuaded  in  bis  own  mind?  Are  we 
not  only  to  prefer  but  to  exclude  ?  While  our  general  prac- 
tice shows  our  choice,  are  we  by  a  single  act  to  e-vdnce 
our  charity  ?  Are  we  to  behave  towards  those  we  be- 
lieve to  be  born  of  God,  as  if  they  were  strangers  and 
foreigners,  and  not  our  fellow-citizens,  because  they 
live  in  another  street  ?  Or,  as  not  being  of  the  house- 
hold of  faith,  because,  as  children,  they  are  not  of  the 
same  growth ;  or,  as  servants,  they  are  not  in  the  same 
employment?  Shall  we  resemble  John  or  Jesus? 
John,  who  said, — "Master,  we  saw  one  casting  out 
devilsin  thy  name ;  and  we  forbad  him,  because  he 
followeth  not  with  us?"  Or  Jesus,  who  said, — "For- 
bid him  not ;  for  there  is  no  man  who  shall  do  a  mira- 
cle in  my  name  that  can  speak  lightly  of  me  ;  for  he 
that  is  not  against  us  is  on  our  part  ?" 

Two  other  questions  may  be  asked : — First,  As  all 
the  present  distinctions  and  differences  among  Chris- 
tians will  be  done  away  with  hereafter,  is  an  approach 
to  the  spirit  and  manners  of  that  heavenly  state  to  be 
considered  an  excellency  or  a  disparagement  now  ? 

Secondly,  If  the  Lord's  supper  were  designed,  as  it 
obviously  was,  to  unite  the  followers  of  Christ,  remind- 
ing them,  by  the  participation  of  the  same  bread  and 
the  same  cup,  that  they  are  all  equally  partakers  of  the 
same  symbolized  benefits  ;  is  it  not  as  strange  as  it  is 
lamentable  that  this  ordinance  should  even  become 
the  means  or  occasion  of  dividing  them,  and  making 
them  think  and  feel  that  they  are  not  one  in  Christ 
Jesus?  And  whence  is  it  that  Christians  can  join  in 
all  other  acts  and  exercises  of  religion,  and  turn  from, 
and  turn  against,  each  other,  when  required  to  sit  at 


374        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

the  same  table,  and  eat  and  drink  in  remembrance  of 
Him  who  died  for  them  and  rose  again?  Oh,  let  the 
same  mind  be  in  us  which  was  also  in  Ilim,  who 
stretched  forth  his  hand  towards  his  disciples,  and  said, 
"  Behold  my  mother  and  my  brethren.  For  whosoever 
shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  the 
same  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and  mother  P  And 
must  we  always  be  ashamed,  and  blush  to  own  all  that 
love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,  unless  we  meet 
them  in  a  particular  place,  or  wearing  a  particular 
dress? 

Some  feel  and  display  a  better  disposition,  and  form 
a  noble  contrast  to  many  miserably  contracted  beings. 
Archbishop  Usher,  having  expressed  his  sense  of, 
what  he  apprehended,  the  deficiency  of  certain  churches 
abroad,  in  being  without  Episcopaaj,  adds, — "  Yet,  for 
the  testifying  of  my  communion  with  these  churches, 
which  I  do  love  and  honor  as  true  members  of  the 
church  universal,  I  do  confess  that,  with  like  affection, 
I  could  receive  the  blessed  sacrament  at  the  hands  of 
the  Dutch  ministers,  if  I  were  in  Holland,  and  at  the 
hands  of  the  French  ministers,  if  1  were  at  Charen- 
ton." 

And  the  Eev.  Baptist  Noel,  more  honorable  by  his 
spirit  than  by  his  rank,  though  a  clergyman  of  the 
church,  even  pleads-  for  the  possibility  and  propriety 
of  an  occasional  exchange  of  services  between  the 
Episcopalians  and  Dissenters.  And  would  this  tend  to 
destroy  anything,  but  what  is  better  abolished  than 
maintained  in  our  respective  departments  ?  This  was 
formerly  allowed  in  the  Kirk  of  Scotland ;  and  was  it 
this  that  injured  or  endangered  ite  institutions  ?  The 
Free  Church  safely  and  nobly  tolerates  and  promotes 


MRS.   HANNAH   MORE.  375 

the  same  practice  now ;  and  "  as  many  as  walk  by  this 
rule,  peace  be  on  them,  and  mercy,  and  upon  the  Is- 
rael of  God." 

It  is  marvellous,  but  it  seems  there  are  those  who 
profess  to  believe  not  only  the  truth,  but  the  import- 
ance of  evangelical  principles,  who  can  wish  that  Mrs. 
More,  whose  talents  were  to  have  such  an  extensive 
influence  over  others,  should,  at  the  formation  of  her 
spiritual  character,  rather  never  have  heard  those 
evangelical  doctrines,  than  have  heard  them  where  she 
did  hear  them ! 

To  return  from  this  unintentional  digression,  which, 
yet,  I  found  it  almost  impossible  to  avoid;  I  never 
knew  a  person  in  whom  the  words  of  our  Lord  were 
more  exemplified : — ' '  To  him  that  hath  shall  be  given ; " 
or  the  promise  by  the  prophet: — "  Then  shall  ye  know, 
if  ye  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord."  She  always  lived 
up  to  the  light  she  possessed,  and  a  constant  advance- 
ment was  made  in  her  acquaintance  with  "  the  truth  as 
it  is  in  Jesus."  Her  spiritual  progress  is  perceptible  in 
her  successive  publications ;  and  this  progressiveness, 
rather  than  more  instant  maturity,  was  attended  with 
advantage,  as  many  of  those  who  were  disposed  to 
read  her  works  could  not  bear  everything  in  the  Evan- 
gelical system  at  once.  They  required  "milk,  and 
not  strong  meat."  She,  therefore,  laid  hold  of  them 
in  this  degree  of  their  knowledge,  and  led  them  on 
gradually  by  her  side  to  the  more  perfect  day.  And 
in  this  view,  I  have  met  with  some  of  more  sudden  and 
profound  attainments  in  "the  deep  things  of  God," 
who  have  much  underrated  the  amazing  good  she  cer- 
tainly accomplished ;  for  her  works  were  bought  and 
read  almost  without  measure. 


376        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

I  communicated,  by  request,  and  wbicli  may  be  seen 
in  the  last  volume  of  her  life,  a  few  anecdotes  concern- 
ing her,  to  which  it  would  be  easy  to  add  more.  Though 
she  did  not  believe  in  absolute  predestination,  and 
loved  the  doctrine  of  universal  redemption,  she  was 
peculiarly  fond  of  perusing  the  works  of  the  old  Puri- 
tan and  Nonconformist  divines,  whose  sentiments,  in 
these  articles,  differed  from  her  own ;  and  when  asked 
how  this  was,  she  replied,  "I  find  nothing  so  good  as 
the  lean  of  their  fat."  One  day,  as  her  letters  came  in, 
I  saw  she  broke  off  the  seals,  and  put  them  into  ajar. 
I  was  anxious  to  know  why  she  preserved  them. 
"Ah,"  said  she,  "  see  the  ingenuity  of  poverty ;  there 
are -those  who  get  a  trifle  towards  their  support  by 
melting  these  into  a  secondary  kind  of  wax."  "Was 
not  this  gathering  up  the  fragments,  that  nothing  be 
lost?  She  one  day  wished  to  inform  me  of  some  very 
improper  returns  she  had  met  with  from  an  afflicted 
pauper  I  had  recommended  to  her  beneficence ;  but 
she  called  me  away  from  the  company,  lest  they  should 
hear,  saying,  "  You  know  we  must  not  speak  of  these 
things  before  persons,  for  they  will  make  them  excuses 
for  their  illiberality ;"  adding,  "  it  is  well,  perhaps, 
for  us  to  meet  with  such  instances  as  these,  to  let  us 
into  a  discovery  of  our  motives  in  giving,  and  to  re- 
mind us  of  our  own  vileness  with  regard  to  God ;  for 
what  is  the  ingratitude  of  the  worst  of  our  fellow 
creatures  towards  us,  compared  with  our  ingratitude 
towards  Him?" 

I  cannot,  in  fairness  to  Mrs.  More  and  to  myself,  but 
notice  what  seems  a  remarkable  circumstance.  Towards 
the  close  of  her  memoirs  it  is  said — "  Mrs.  More's  re- 
gard for  Mr.  Jay  is  well  known,  and  that  she  frequent- 


MRS.   HANNAH   MORE.  377 

ly  attended  his  ministry  for  reasons  whicl/  she  has  as- 
signed in  her  address  to  her  Diocesan,  in  a  former 
volume."  If  a  person  should  think  it  worth  while  to 
turn  back  to  this  document,  they  will  find  no  reason 
assigned,  or  even  the  name  of  the  preacher  mentioned^ 
but  only  a  statement  or  defence  of  her  true  Churchism. 
What  was  inserted  was  correct,  but  the  explanation  is 
not  found.  Is  this  omission  the  effect  of  design?  Or 
did  it  result  from  a  presumption  that  no  inquiry  would 
be  made?  Or  from  an  apprehension  that  anything 
she  had  favorably  said  to  justify  or  excuse  her  attend- 
ance, might  induce  others  also  to  offend  ?  I  hope,  and 
would  believe,  that  it  was  by  mistake  and  oversight. 
However  this  may  be,  the  whole  of  the  address  to  his 
Lordshi-jj,  with  the  addition  of  some  extenuations 
of  her  supposed  crime  furnished  by  her  sister, 
may  be  now  seen  in  her  life  by  the  Eev.  Mr. 
Thompson.  This  biographer,  who  has  written  with 
ability,  knew  not  Mrs.  More  personally,  and  only 
came  to  the  church  at  "Wrington  as  she  was  leaving 
the  neighborhood,  owing  to  the  conduct  of  her  ser- 
vants and  tradesmen,  to  reside  at  Clifton ;  and  much 
of  his  information  appears  to  have  been  derived  from 
persons  who  could  have  known  little  of  her  earlier 
connections  and  habitudes.  Yet,  even  with  these  par- 
tial accounts,  Mr.  Thompson  finds  no  little  dif&culty 
in  bringing  her  off  a  spotless  cliurcJi-woman  ;  i.  e.,  in 
his  meaning  of  the  term.  There  is,  therefore,  as  to 
many  particulars,  much  misstatement. 

This  was  the  case  also  as  to  the  "  Blagdon  Contro- 
versy." The  clergyman  of  the  parish,  provoked  to 
become  her  enemy,  (and  the  less  from  any  other  cause 
than  her  evangelism  and  zeal,  and  her  not  exerting 


378        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

herself  to  get  htm  preferment,)  endeavored,  himself, 
and  prevailed  upon  others  to  co-operate  with  him,  to 
run  her  down  for  irregularity  as  a  member  of  the 
Church,  and  encouraging  sectarian  practices.  The 
case  was  this  : — Though  at  length,  very  much  by  her 
influence,  a  number  of  evangelical  clergymen  sur- 
rounded her,  and  gladly  acted  with  her,  (they  were 
called  contemptuously  by  her  adversaries  "  Hannah 
Move's  niyie-pins,^^  in  allusion  to  their  number,)  yet  it 
was  not  so  when  she  began  her  efforts  in  the  neigh- 
boring villages ;  and  I  have  often  heard  her  confess 
that  what  she  did  then  was  not  only  without  clerica.- 
countenance  and  aid,  but  was  opposed  by  them.  Bui 
she  established  schools,  and  placed  over  them  pious 
masters  and  mistresses,  who  not  only  taught  the  chil- 
dren to  read,  but  to  understand  the  simple  truths  of 
the  Gospel.*  They  were  also  accustomed  to  pray  with 
these  children,  and  to  address  them  occasionally,  in 
plain  and  familiar  language,  concerning  their  souls  and 
their  duties.  Sometimes,  also,  a  hymn  from  Watts  or 
Wesley  was  sung.  During  these  exercises  some  of 
the  ignorant  rustics  would  now  and  then  drop  in,  and 
listen,  and  feel  a  religious  concern.  When  her  paro- 
chial accuser  published  these  things,  with  his  colorings 
and  enlargements,  void  of  the  circumstances  of  ex- 
planation or  excuse,  some  took  great  alarm,  and,  eager 
for  her  defence,  plunged  incautiously  into  the  dispute , 
and,  judging  only  by  what  they  knew  of  her  then,  they 
denied  things  which  many  living  could  not  but  own 
had  been  substantially  true.     She  could  not  come  for- 

*  She  more  than  once  applied  to  me  to  recommend  such  as,  she 
Baid,  would  be  called  Methodists-  adding,  "I  find  none  seeia  to  do 
my  poor  children  good  beside." 


MES.   IIANXAH   MORE.  379 

\s^ard  to  contradict  her  injudicious  friends,  and  she  dis- 
dained entering  into  a  conflict  with  her  unworthy 
foes.  In  this  dilemma  her  suffering  and  perplexity 
were  great.  Some  of  the  results  of  this  vile  persecu- 
tion led  her  to  change,  not  her  principles,  but  some  of 
her  movements  and  proceedings.  She  gave  up  her 
residence  in  Bath,  and  resigned  her  worshipping  i^iter- 
course  with  some  of  her  former  connections  ;  endeav- 
oring by  her  future  conduct,  if  possible,  to  cut  off  oc- 
casion of  offence  from  many  who  were  not  only  dear 
to  her,  but  had  contributed,  and  contributed  still, 
largely  in  furtherance  of  her  charities. 

Here  persons  will  differ  in  their  opinions,  and  not  a 
few  have  censured  her.  But  she  has  always  stood 
clear  in  my  own  mind.  I  am  fully  persuaded  she  act- 
ed conscientiously.  She  is  to  be  viewed  as  a  very  ex- 
traordinary character,  in  a  very  peculialr  situation,  and 
whose  duties  must  be  judged  of  by  circumstances. 
She  only  perfectly  understood  her  own  position  ;  and, 
after  reflection  and  comparison,  she  could  not  but  act 
according  to  her  own  convictions.  I  well  remember 
her  saying, — "  I  throw  myself  upon  the  candor  of  that 
part  of  the  religious  public  I  as  much  esteem  as  ever, 
to  exercise  some  spiritual  self-denial,  and  which  I  find 
to  be  the  most  trying  of  all  self-denials."  She,  there- 
fore, never  withdrew  her  friendship ;  sent  me,  as  usual, 
her  books  when  they  were  published ;  and  at  last  re- 
membered me  in  her  will. 

My  own  testimony  concerning  her  is, — and  I  speak 
advisedly,  and  from  no  little  acquaintance  and  obser- 
vation,— that  her  piety  was  equal  to  her  talent,  and 
that  her  talent  was  superior  even  to  her  fame.  Genius 
is  not  commonly  combined  with  a  strong  and  hale 


880        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

constitution.  Mrs.  More  often  suflfcrcd  from  indisposi- 
tion ;  and  often  composed  under  aches  and  pains  which 
would  liave  entirely  deterred  others  from  the  use  of 
the  pen. 

Ilor  poetical  productions  are  few,  compared  with  her 
prose,  and  her  renown  as  a  writer  will  be  more  deriv- 
ed from  the  latter  thar  the  former.  Coleridge  has  re- 
marked that,  though  the  force  of  female  genius  might 
be  supposed  to  lie  chiefly  in  imagination,  yet,  into  the 
long  standard  list  of  English  poets,  no  female  author 
has  been  thought  worthy  of  admission,  while  so  man^:- 
of  them  have  been  distinguished  as  novelists  and 
dramatists ;  and  he  asks  whether  this  does  not  prove 
that  other  qualities  are  as  necessary  to  good  poetry  as 
what  is  called  imagination  ?  But  may  we  not  venture 
to  ask  whether  this  non-admission  of  females  has  in 
no  degree  arisen  from  the  empire  and  jealousy  of  the 
lords  of  the  creation  ?  Surely,  some  one  of  our  fe- 
males deserves  a  place  among  the  canonized  bards, 
equal  to  that  of  some  of  the  poetical  privileged  males  ? 

By  nothing,  perhaps,  did  Mrs.  More  do  more  good, 
or  display  her  talents  to  more  advantage,  than  by 
throwing  herself  into  the  social  feelings  and  habits  of 
the  common  people,  in  the  series  of  tracts  she  publish- 
ed for  their  use.  I  remember  being  present  when  she 
started  the  proposal.  It  was  at  her  own  house,  and  at 
a  breakfast  party.  The  company  was  large  and  se- 
lect.*    They  were  asked  by  her  their  opinion  of  the 

*  It  was  on  this  occasion  I  first  met  with  the  famous  John  Foster. 
He  was  silent  all  the  morning. — (The  Editors  think  it  not  improba- 
ble that  it  was  to  this  meeting  Mr.  Foster  alluded  in  one  of  his  let- 
ters to  Dr.  Fawcett,  dated  Bristol,  Oct.  15,  1*791.  "Life  and  Cor- 
respondence of  .Tohn  Foster,"  Vol.  I.  p.  16:     "  A  few  days  since,  in 


MRS.   HANNAH   MOlli:.  381 

j)robable  circulation  and  usefalness  of  a  number  of 
cheap,  short,  and  familiar  publications,  esj^ecially  as 
they  might  become  a  substitute  for  the  poor,  licentious, 
and  injurious  trash  found  on  stalls,  and  vended  by 
hawkers.  When  all  naturally  approved  of  the  scheme, 
and  doubted  not  of  its  success,  Mrs.  More,  as  a  speci- 
men of  the  sort  and  quality  of  the  articles  intended, 
produced  "  The  Shepherd  of  Salisbury  Plain,"  which 
she  had  composed  for  the  purpose.  I  was  called  upon 
to  read  it.  This  I  did,  not  without  difficulty,  being 
affected  to  tears  with  some  of  its  exquisite  touches. 
This  probably  was  not  unpleasant  to  the  writer  ;  but 
all  were  dehghted  with  the  simple  and  beautifal  ficti- 
tious tale.  I  say  "  fictitious,"  for  it  was  not,  as  often 
supposed,  founded  in  fact.   A  multitude  of  these  tracts 

company  with  Mr.  Hughes,  I  spent  a  day  with  Mrs.  Hannah  More. 
She,  with  four  other  sisters,  all  unmarried,  reside  at  the  distance 
of  about  ten  miles  from  the  city.  They  are  all  very  sensible  and 
agreeable,  but  she  is  quite  interesting.  She  was  familiarly  acquaint- 
ed with  Johnson,  and  many  other  distinguished  persons  who  are 
dead,  and  is  equally  well  known  to  most  of  the  geniuses  of  the 
present  day.  Perhaps  her  poetical  abilities,  though  acknowledged 
very  great,  form  one  of  the  least  of  her  excellences.  If  piety  and 
beneficence  can  give  lustre  to  a  character,  hers  is  transcendent. 
She  lives  in  a  kind  of  retirement,  little  noticed,  except  by  her  dis- 
tant friends  ;  and,  in  conjunction  with  her  b.t  ters,  whose  minds  are 
congenial  with  her  own,  employs  most  of  her  time  in  benevolent 
undertakings,  in  visiting  the  poor,  furnishing  them  with  necessaries, 
and  procuring  instruction  for  their  ignorant  children,  at  the  very 
time  that  she  could  figure  among  poetesses  and  peeresses.  Some 
of  her  undertakings,  in  the  design,  conduct,  difficulties,  and  success, 
are  so  very  remarkable,  and  discover  such  evident  interpositions  of 
Divine  Providence,  that  they  almost  assume  the  air  of  romance.  If 
I  ever  saw  the  spirit  of  the  Redeemer  and  his  reUgion  realized,  it  is 
in  her  conversation  and  character.  I  expect  the  pleasure  of  visit- 
ing her  to  be  pretty  often  repeated.") 


382        PRACTICAL  TLLUSTR  AlTIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

soon  followed.  I  need  not  mention  that  many  of  them 
were  not  of  her  com230sition.  Several  of  them  were 
Avritten  by  her  sisters,  Sally  and  Patty,  and  more  by 
other  friendly  helpers  ;  and  though  none  of  them  can 
compete  with  her  own,  they  were  all  valuable  and 
useful.* 

Did  this  lead,  by  example  and  reflection,  to  the  es- 
tablishment of  "  The  Tract  Society,"  in  London,  which 
has  become  so  vast,  and  useful  an  institution  ? 

In  these  composures,  and  some  larger  publications 
of  a  similar  kind,  Mrs.  More  has  been  charged  with 
partiality ;  and  there  is  some  ground  for  it.  In  her 
sketches  of  good  and  evil  characters,  the  excellences 
are  almost  always  exemplified  in  members  of  her  own 
Chnrch,  while  defects  and  improprieties  are  found  in 
the  adherents  to  Methodism  and  Dissent.  Iler  read- 
ing, her  personal  acquaintances,  her  judgment,  her 
candor,  should  have  prevented  this.  There  is  no  per- 
fection on  this  side  heaven. 

Mr.  Hill,  in  his  "  Dialogues,"  is  thought  by  some  to 
have  erred  in  the  other  extreme,  especially  in  his  cler- 
ical bad  examples ;  though  it  should  be  remembered 
how  much  many  of  the  reverends  then  diflered  from 
the  same  class  nctv.  Do  not  all  parties  need  a  word 
behind  them,  saving,  "  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it," 

*  Among  the  private  papers  of  Mrs.  More  was  found  an  interest- 
ing record  which  she  made  on  the  completion  of  this  series  of  use- 
ful publications  :— "  Bless  the  Lord,  oh  my  soul,  that  I  have  been 
spared  to  accomplish  this  work  1  Do  thou,  oh  Lord,  bless  and  pros- 
per it  to  the  good  of  many  ;  and,  if  it  do  good,  may  I  give  to  thee 
the  glory,  and  take  to  myself  the  shame  of  its  defects.  I  have  de- 
voted three  years  to  this  work.  Two  millions  of  these  tracts  were 
disposed  of  during  tlie  first  year.  God  works  by  weak  instruments, 
to  show  that  the  glory  is  all  His  own." 


MRS.   HANNAH   MORE.  883 

when  tliej  turn  to  the  right  hand,  or  when  tney  turn 
to  the  left? 

I  sometimes  met  at  Mrs.  More's  house  and  table  the 
celebrated  Alexander  Knox,  who  has  more  than  no- 
ticed me  as  a  preacher  in  one  of  his  letters  to  Bishop 
Jebb.  I  remember  well  his  once  specially  introducing 
his  views  of  Justification  ;  when  Mrs.  More,  though 
less  enlightened  then  than  afterwards,  made  no  scruple 
to  express  her  dissent,  and  alleged  several  scriptures 
with  great  propriety.  If  he  did  not  believe  in  bap- 
tismal regeneration,  he  talked  very  ambiguously  upon 
it.  Indeed,  from  my  personal  intercourse,  and  my 
subsequent  perusal  of  his  letters  and  papers,  I  have 
thought  he  helped  to  prepare  the  way  for  Puseyism. 

At  Mrs.  More's,  too,  I  also  repeatedly  met  Sir  James 
Stonehouse.  He  was  formerly  a  physician  of  note  at 
Northampton.  At  that  time  he  was  a  hearer,  and  the 
intimate  friend  of  Dr.  Doddridge,  in  speaking  of  whom 
I  recollect  his  observing  the  amazing  influence  and 
readiness  of  his  mind.  "  We  sometimes,"  said  he, 
"  for  a  little  excursion  and  recreation,  left  home  to- 
gether, for  a  week  or  a  fortnight ;  and,  after  exploring 
the  sceneries  and  curiosities  of  places  in  the  course  of 
the  day,  he  frequently  preached  in  some  meeting  in 
the  evening  to  a  crowded  assembly,  without  time  for 
retirement,  without  notes,  without  fatigue ;  with  an 
ease,  an  order,  an  accuracy,  and  a  fervor,  truly  aston- 
ishing." Yet  he  professed  to  prefer  Orton  to  Dod- 
dridge as  a  sermonizer,  and  indeed  to  every  other 
English  divine !  I  believe  he  much  coalesced  with 
him  in  sentiment. 

Eather  late  in  life,  he  left  his  professional  engage- 
ments,  and  entered  the  Establishment,   and  became 


384       PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

vicar  of  Clievcril,  in  Wiltshire,  where  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Steel  man  was  liis  curate,  to  whom,  by  his  desire,  Orton 
addressed  a  small  volume  of  letters,  which  were  after- 
wards published,  and  which  are  well  worthy  the  atten- 
tion of  every  young  minister. 

I  first  became  acquainted  with  him  while  residing 
at  Clifton,  and  when  serving  Lady  Maxwell  at  Hope 

Chapel.     He  lived  in Row,  and  occasionally 

preached  in  achapel-of  ease  in Square,  where 

he  was  much  followed.  His  access  to  this  pulpit  he 
assigned  as  the  reason  why  he  could  never  appear  in 
the  place  I  occupied,  as  prejudice  might  deprive  him 
of  much  opportunity,  for  usefulness,  though  he  paid 
for  the  sitting  of  his  servant,  and  his  daughter,  Mrs, 
Vigo,  who  attended  my  ministry.  When  he  first  came 
to  Bath  he  was  very  scbismatical  himself,  for  I  believe 
he  always  attended  in  our  conventicle.  But  religion 
lives,  and  moves,  and  has  its  being  in  various  degrees. 
He  was  a  good  man,  with  too  little  spirituality,  and 
too  keen  an  appetite  for  human  praise  ;  therefore  Mr. 
Hervey,  whom  he  attended  as  a  physician,  said  to  him, 
when  dying,  "  Dr.  Stonehouse,  beware  of  the  world  ! 
beware  of  the  world !  beware  of  the  world!"  His  sen- 
timents were  the  skim-milk  of  the  Gospel ;  but  he  must 
be  classed  as  belonging  to  the  Evangelical  Clergy, 
though  very  near  the  border  that  separates  them  from 
others. 

As  an  author,  he  wrote  only  a  fevv'  small,  useful 
tracts  for  the  afflicted  and  dying ;  but,  as  a  preacher, 
he  was  famed  for  his  eloquence,  and  still  more  for  the 
admirable  manner  in  which  he  read  the  prayers ;  in 
which,  he  said,  he  had  availed  himself  of  the  dictation 
of  Garrick,     He  was  a  very  sensible  and  accomplished 


MRS.    HANNAH    MORE.  385 

man,  yet  noted  for  excessive  egotism,  but  for  wliicli  lie 
would  have  been  a  more  deliglitful  and  edifying  com- 
panion. 

I  can,  perhaps,  be  hardly  excused  for  intruding  the 
following  letter,  the  last  I  ever  received  from  Mrs. 
More ;  but  it  pleasingly  displays  traits  of  her  more 
private  character,  and  affords  another  proof  her  kind 
and  constant  friendship  : — 

My  dear  Sir, — I  know  not  how  to  express  the  gratitude  I  feel 
for  the  very  excellent  works  you  have  had  the  goodness  to  bestow 
upon  me.  To  feel  deeply  their  inestimable  value,  and  to  offer  my 
fervent  prayers  to  the  Almighty  Giver  of  every  good  gift,  are  all  I 
can  do.  May  He  enlighten  and  strengthen  me  more  and  more  by 
the  constant  perusal.  Your  last  bounty,  the  new  edition  of  your 
Prayers,  with  the  valuable  additions,  is  a*great  additional  treasure. 
We  fell  upon  it  with  a  keen  appetite  this  morning,  and  I  hope  I 
shall  be  the  better  for  it  as  long  as  I  live. 

My  truly  pious  fi-iend,  Mr.  Elven,  who  is  my  chief  spiritual  vis- 
itor, said,  when  I  showed  him  your  volumes,  "  Mr.  Jay  has  more 
ideas  than  any  man  I  ever  knew."  I  could  not  prevail  on  myself 
to  keep  this  remark  from  you.  I  thought  my  hard  necessity  to 
leave  Barley  Wood  was  a  great  trial,  but  it  has  pleased  my  gra- 
cious God  to  overrule  it  to  my  great  comfort  and  benefit.  I  was 
there  almost  destitute  of  all  spiritual  advantages ;  here  I  find  four 
ministers  of  great  piety,  who  are  much  attached  to  me,  and  who 
supply  my  want  of  public  attendance  at  church. 

It  was  a  very  agreeable  surprise  to  me  to  see  your  good  lady,  and 
I  was  grieved  that  the  largeness  of  the  party  (almost  all  strangers) 
prevented  my  attention  to  her,  which  was  so  justly  her  due.  I  beg 
to  offer  my  most  kind  regards  to  her. 

I  hope  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  remember  me  at  the  Throne 
of  Grace ;  no  one  stands  more  in  need  of  your  prayers  than,  my 
dear  Sir, 

Your  very  faithful 

And  highly  obliged 

Friend  and  Servant, 

Hannah  More. 

Clifton.— Saturday,  1829. 

17 


386        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

The  following  Hues  have  never  yet  appeared  in 
print.  They  were  addressed  by  Mrs.  More  to  the 
celebrated  and  pious  Miss  Stee],  of  Broughton,  Hamp- 
shii*e,  during  her  visit,  and  after  they  had  walked  to 
Dansbury  Hill,  an  ancient  camp,  near  which,  accord- 
ing to  tradition,  a  battle  had  been  fought  between  the 
Saxons  and  the  Danes,  Miss  Steel  having  written  a 
poem  entitled  "Dansbury,"  Mrs.  More  gathered  there 
a  sprig  of  juniper,  for  Avhich  she  thus  apologized  :■ — 

"  Sylvia,  forgive  thy  daring  friend, 
And  do  not  take  it  ill, 
If  her  presuming  hand  has  plucked 
A  wreath  from  Dansbury  Hill. 

Yet,  though  I  much  admire  the  gifts 

Thy  genius  can  impart, 
Far  rather,  Sylvia,  would  I  steal 

One  virtue  from  thy  heart. 

And  who,  fair  Sylvia,  do  you  think, 

Would  blame  the  moral  theft? 
One  virtue  you  would  scarcely  miss. 

Who  'd  have  so  many  left !" 

At  the  time  when  Mrs.  More  was  so  cruelly  perse- 
cuted by  the   Rev.  Mr.   B n,  and  the  Rev.   Mr. 

S n,  and  Mr.  E ds,  (not  to  mention  others,) 

Peter  Pindar  was  in  his  popularity ;  he  also  insinuated 
his  unprovoked  slanders  and  ridicule,  and  endeavored 
to  rob  her  of  her  fame  as  an  author ;  upon  the  reading 
of  which  a  member  of  my  church  wrote  the  following 
severe  and  deserved  address,  and  published  it  in  the 
papers : — 


MRS.   HANNAH   MORE.  387 


To  Petke  Pindar,  Esq.,  on  reading  ms  "Nil  Admirari,'  etc. 

This  is  not  candid  in  thee,  Peter  Pindar; 

'  Tis  a  fresh  blot  upon  thy  dubious  name, 
To  envy  that  applause  thou  canst  not  hinder, 

And  blast  a  woman's  literary  fame. 

'  Tis  very  contradictious  in  thee,  Peter ; 

It  looks  unmanly,  and  betrays  thy  spleen. 
To  insult  a  female,  and  with  scorn  to  treat  her  I 

It  blunts  the  edge  of  satire,  else  so  keen. 

*  Afore  has  no  genius,'  Peter  says;  moreover, 
'  She  has  no  claim  to  merit,  not  the  least ; ' 

Yet  in  her  style  improved,  thou  canst  discover, 
She  must  have  been  assisted  by  a  priest. 

If  mental  powers  which  Garrick  could  admire, — 
If  talents  that  command  a  Portia's  praise, 

May  without  arrogance  to  fame  a-spire. 
Her  claim  is  good,  whatever  Peter  says. 

Thy  judgment,  Peter,  comes,  I  guess,  too  late ; 

Its  prompt  applause  a  virtuous  public  gave  her ; 
Nor  will  thy  wicked  wit  reverse  her  fate. 

Or  cancel  that  decision  in  her  favor. 

But,  let  the  public  as  it  may  decide, 
There  is  a  dread  tribunal,  Peter,  hear — 

Where  thou,  and  all  thy  actions  shall  be  tried. 
And  what  thy  doom  will  be  I  greatly  fear. 

Believe  me,  Peter,  all  thy  ridicule 

Will  turn  to  very  poor  account  at  best ; 

Thou  hast  for  many  years  but  played  the  fool, 
And  prostituted  genius  to  a  jest. 

That  man's  a  simpleton  who  flings  away 

The  precious  grain,  and  only  hoards  the  chaflf ; 
And  he 's  no  better,  flout  it  as  he  may, 
•        Who  squanders  his  whole  life  to  raise  a  laugh. 


388        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

Try  to  repair  the  past ;  reform  thy  plan ; 

Conscience  will  tell  thee  thou  hast  acted  wrong ; 
Assume  the  moral  dignity  of  man, 

And  give  to  virtue  all  thy  powers  of  song. 

Bath,  Nov.  1,  1*7  99.  Ahtbston. 


REV.  ROWLAND  HILL,  A.M. 

"  Grant  some  of  knowledge  greater  store, 

More  learned  some  in  teaching ; 
Yet  few  in  life  did  lighten  more, 

Or  thunder  more  in  preaching." 

When"  I  preaclied  tlie  funeral  sermon  of  this  very 
singular,  but  excellent  and  useful  man,  immediately 
after  the  service,  Lord  Hill,  to  whom  I  dedicated  the 
sermon,  several  ministers  of  different  denominations, 
and  some  of  the  trustees  and  managers  of  the  chapel, 
came  into  the  house,  and  intimated  that  I  should  be 
expected  to  write  a  memoir  of  the  deceased.  Some  of 
them,  I  found,  had  taken  it  for  granted  that  I  had  long 
been  preparing  for  such  a  work,  and  that  I  had  many 
materials  by  me  for  the  purpose.  I  assured  them  the 
thought  had  never  entered  into  my  mind ;  but  they 
j^ressed  it  upon  me,  on  the  ground  that  I  had  been 
connected  with  him  so  long,  and  knew  more  of  him 
than  any  other  surviving  minister.  I  was  then  (and  it 
had  affected  me  in  the  preaching)  suffering  under  the 
influenza^  and  everything  appeared  trying ;  and  I  could 
not  be  unconscious  of  the  difficulty  of  doing  justice  to 
so  peculiar  a  character,  and  of  giving  satisfaction  to 
many  of  his  admirers.  T,  therefore,  came  under  no 
other  engagement  than  to  consider  the  proposal.    This 


390        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

I  did  on  my  return  home;  and,  as  the  formidableness 
of  the    affixir   lessened,  and   I   knew  that  I  was   not 
wholly  or  comparatively  unqualified  for  the  performance, 
I  yielded,  and  had  even  written  a  few  pages,  when  I 
received  a  letter  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sidney,  inform- 
ing me  that  Mrs.  Uill,  the  evening  before  her  death, 
had  urged  him,  and  that  Mr.  Hill  by  will  had  appointed 
liim  to  be  bis  biographer.      I  was  thus,    and  not  un- 
gladly,  relieved  from  the  arduous  task.     Mr.  Sidney 
soon  fulfilled  his  appointment ;  and,  after  his  publica- 
cation,  Mr.  Jones,  of  the  Tract  Society,  also  sent  forth 
another  Life.     I  was  pleased  Avith  both  these  works, 
the  latter  of  which   had  the  most  of  specific  delinea- 
tion; yet  the  public,  never  very  easily  satisfied,  seemed 
to  think  there  was  wanting  more  individuality.    There 
can,  indeed,  be  no  character  without  individuality ;  but 
it  should  have  been  considered  that  a  writer,  in  this  in- 
stance^ could  not  go  all  lengths,  or  enter  into  all  the 
particularizations  which  the  subject  would  supply,  with- 
out ofi'ence.     There  is  an  idiosyncrasy  in -mind  as  well 
as  body ;  and,  if  the  one  tries  physical,  so  docs  the 
other  moral,  anatomy.     There  are   persons   uniquely 
framed  and  disposed,  called,  by  a  distinguished  author, 
"  unclassed  anomalies,"  and  Avho  constitute  the  cori)s 
jparticulier  of  exceptions  to  general  rules. 

Mr.  Hill's  life  would  be  written  at  some  distance  of 
time  from  his  death  better  than  near  it,  as  in  the  mean- 
time some  innocent  peculiarities  and  facetiousnesess. 
which  many  observers  might  deem  exceptionable  in  a 
sacred  character,  would  wane  away  or  strike  less; 
whilst  his  great  excellences  and  usefulness  would  re- 
main, and  be  more  prominent  and  distinct. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  mention  two  mistakes,  or  in- 


REV.    ROWLAND   HILL,    A.M.  391 

advertencies,  whicli  have  crept  into  these  valuable 
pieces  of  biography.  The  one  regards  Mr.  Hill's 
ecclesiastics.  He  much  disliked  strict  Independency ; 
but  he  could  not  be  considered  properly  as  an  Episco- 
palian, in  the  common  or  prelatical  acceptation  of  the 
term.  He  might  not,  with  many  others,  have  objected 
to  such  a  bishop  as  Usher's  primus  inter  pares,  having 
nothing  to  do  with  secular  affairs,  appointed  by  the 
state,  chosen  by  his  brethren  for  his  age,  talent,  and 
piety,  and  residing  in  the  midst  of  his  diocese ;  and 
he  did  at  first  submit  to  the  state  of  things  in  the  Es- 
tablishment as  they  are,  partially — I  ssij  partially,  for 
he  only  received  deacon's  orders,  not  accepting  those 
of  priest,  on  the  condition  alone  by  which  he  could 
obtain  them,  viz.,  regularity  ;  and  so,  as  his  drollery  ex- 
pressed it,  he  ran  off  with  only  one  hoot  on  ;  nor  was 
he  an  enemy  to  some  state-provision  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  people.  But  from  conviction  he  jDreferred 
Presbyterianism,  I  cannot  be  mistaken  here,  from  my 
intimacy  and  conversations  with  him  on  the  very  sub- 
ject. At  my  last  interview  with  him,  a  very  few 
weeks  only  before  his  death,  he  unexpectedly  said, 
"Ah,  Mr.  Jay,  Presbyterianism  comes  much  nearer 
the  original  and  Scriptural  model  than  your  Independ- 
ency or  our  Episcopacy ;"  and,  stroking  his  face  in  his 
usual  way,  added,  "  You  know  this  was  always  my 
sentiment."  The  last  time  he  preached  in  Bath,  he 
spent  the  evening  with  a  large  party,  before  whom  he 
explicity  made  the  same  acknowledgment.  It  was 
hence  he  so  much  liked  the  Welsh  Calvinistic  Method- 
ists, as  their  plan  and  measures  (though  not  in  name) 
approximated  to  the  system  he  most  approved. 

The  other  piece  of  misinformation  regards  his  inti- 


392         I'KACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

macy  with  Mr.  Whitfield.  This  is  everywhere  ad- 
mitted, a.<5  if  it  were  a  generally  known  fact.  But 
when  ana  where  did  any  personal  intercourse  take 
place  between  them?  The  truth  is,  though  Mr,  W. 
wrote  a  letter  to  Mr.  Hill,  encouraging  him  to  continue 
his  field-preaching,  yet  they  never  met ;  and  I  have 
often  heard  Mrs.  Hill  aflfirm  how  mistaken  many  per- 
sons were,  for  that  her  husband  had  never  heard  or 
seen  Mr.  Whitfield.  Neither  of  these  things  is  of  much 
importance,  but  it  is  better  that  each  of  them  should 
appear  as  it  really  was. 

My  long  acquaintance  with  this  noted  man  com- 
menced when  I  was  yet  a  student  at  Marlborough ;  be- 
fore I  left,  or  ought  to  have  left,  the  Academy,  he  en- 
gaged me  to  go  to  supply  Sun'ey  Chapel  for  eight 
weeks.  I  did  this  with  the  approbation  of  my  tutor; 
and,  as  I  proved  acceptable,  Mr.  Hill  much  wished  me 
to  enter  immediately  into  an  entire  connection  with 
him,  dividing  my  labors  between  London  and  Wot- 
ton-under-Edge,  and  Haverfordwest ;  and  several  other 
places  which  were  then  more  or  less  under  his  man- 
agement and  control.  This  I  was  induced  to  decline  ; 
but,  as  he  seemed  disappointed,  and  rather  displeased, 
at  my  refusal,  I  promised,  if  he  desired  it,  to  occupy 
his  pulpit  in  town  for  eight  Sabbaths  annually.  This 
was  done  rather  thoughtlessly;  as,  after  I  became  a 
pastor,  I  found  the  time  too  long  to  be  absent  at  once 
from  the  people  of  my  charge ;  yet,  for  nearly  forty 
years,  I  did  this ;  after  which  I  was  constrained  to  re- 
duce my  visit  to  six  Sabbaths,  and  then  to  four,  and 
then  to  three ;  and,  upon  Mr.  Hill's  death,  with  whom 
my  engagement  was  originally  made,  I  entirely  gave 
up  the  connection,  wishing  also  to  afford  more  of  my 


EEV.    KOWLAND   HILL,    A.M.  393 

extra  services  to  ihe  demands  of  country  applications, 
as  well  as  to  secure,  if  possible,  a  little  relaxation  and 
leisure  in  the  season,  at  the  sea-side  : 

"  Juniores  ad  labores. 
Solve  senectutem." 

Mr.  Hill  not  only  built  the  large  Surrey  Chapel, 
where  so  many  souls  have  been  brought  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth,  and  such  large  sums  raised  in  the 
-  cause  of  God  and  the  poor,  and  where  there  is  even 
now  a  vast  congTegation  and  church  prospering  under 
the  ministry  of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Sherman  ;*  but  also  a 
large  tabernacle  at  Wotton-under-Edge,  where  God, 
amidst  much  opposition  at  first,  had  peculiarly  blessed 
his  preaching.  Here  several  individuals  of  respecta- 
bility were  converted,  and  a  numerous  church  was 
formed,  distinguished  by  much  spirituality  and  zeal, 
and  which  is  now  in  a  more  thriving  condition  than 
ever,  under  the  care  of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Knill.f  Adjoin- 
ing the  tabernacle,  Mr.  Hill  built  also  a  dwelling- 
house,  in  which  he  resided  the  summer  half  of  the 
year.  But  during  this  season  his  labors  were  not 
confined  to  Wotton,  but  frequently  extended  to  various 
other  places  in  England  and  Wales. 

My  friend  and  tutor,  Cornelius  "Winter,  was  ac- 
quainted with  him  years  before  I  had  seen  him,  and 
from  his  lips  I  have  derived  many  anecdotes,  especial- 

*  Mr.  Sherman  has  recently  resigned  the  charge  of  the  congre- 
gation at  Surrey  Chapel,  and  been  succeeded  by  the  Kev.  Ke-wman 
Hall. 

f  Mr.  Knill  has,  since  Mr.  Jay  ■wrote,  removed  to  Chester,  and 
been  succeeded  at  "Wotton-under-Edge  by  the  Rev.  J.  T.  Feaston, 
during  whose  residence  the  Tabernacle  has  been  rebuilt,  and  the 
cause  greatly  prospered. 

17* 


894         PKACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF   CHAliACTER. 

ly  concerning  his  earlier  history ;  one  of  which,  as  I 
frequently  heard  him  mention  it,  I  will  undeviatingly 
relate.  Mr.  Winter  was  laboring  in  Bristol  when  Mr. 
Hill  first  came  there.  He  preached  much  out  of  doors ; 
and,  as  he  was  young,  and  a  gentleman's  son,  and  be- 
trayed no  little  wit  and  humor,  which  seemed  natural 
to  him,  he  awakened  great  attention,  and  crowds  fol- 
lowed him.  Mr.  Winter  much  ministered  unto  him, 
reminding  him  of  his  engagements,  and  attending  him 
in  his  movements.  In  another  way  he  was  sei"viceable  ■ 
to  him.  As  he  wished  to  go  preaching  from  place  to 
place,  a  horse  became  necessary ;  and  Mr.  Winter  col- 
lected the  money  that  bought  one,  which,  when  it  was 
presented  to  him,  and  he  would  know  whence  it  came, 
he  naturally  at  first  declined  it,  saying  he  could  not 
think  of  being  under  obligation  to  persons  who  could 
not  afford  it ;  but  Mr.  Winter  assured  him  that  no  one 
would  suffer  by  so  trifling  a  sacrifice ;  and  that  all 
would  feel  themselves  honored  by  his  acceptance  of  it 
for  the  service  of  Christ  (and  the  expense  was  not 
great,  for  it  was  a  poor  kind  of  Rosinante).  But  for 
awhile  it  bore  this  man  of  God  about  in  those  neighbor- 
hoods. Mr.  Winter  also  more  than  once  obtained  for 
him  a  little  pecuniary  supply  for  his  present  wants. 
For  at  this  time  he  had  straits ;  and  was  it  not  to  his 
honor  that  he  subjected  himself  to  these,  not  by  vice, 
but  in  order  to  do  good  to  his  perishing  fellow-crea- 
tures, and  when  he  miuht  have  been  enjoying  every 
kind  of  indulgence  at  home  ?  For  his  oftended  father 
withheld  for  a  season  all  support ;  and,  to  bring  him 
back  from  his  wild  wanderings,  his  bix)tlier  (afterwards 
Sir  Eichard  Hill)  was  sent  to  Bristol.  But,  lo  and  be- 
hold! whei  he  came,  and  had  scon  the  grace  of  God, 


EEV.   EOWLAND   HILL,    A.M.  395 

he  was  so  struck  witL.  young  Rowland's  spirit  and  use- 
fulness, that  he  not  only  omitted  the  design  of  his 
mission,  but  Saul  also  was  amongst  the  prophets,  and 
he  actually  began  preaching  himself ;  and  I  have 
known  many  who  heard  him  hold  forth  in  his  usual 
colored  dress.  How  often  have  I  seen  cottages  and 
chambers  in  which  this  minister  of  Grod  has  been  sat- 
isfied to  eat  and  sleep,  which  some  not  born  gentlemen 
would  be  very  unwilling  to  put  up  with  ! 

As  Mr.  Hill  was  an  educated  man,  so  his  talents 
were  very  superior  to  what  many  may  imagine.  He 
had  an  uncommon  quickness  of  apprehension,  which 
will  account  for  the  great  fund  of  general  knowledge 
which  he  possessed  ;  though  he  never  seemed  to  study 
anything,  or  to  read  any  book  attentively  through, — • 
yet  there  was  no  subject  upon  which  he  seemed  un- 
able to  speak  ;  though  in  discourse  he  could  never  be 
kept  long  to  any  one  point.  His  sentiments  were  Cal- 
vinistic,  but  his  Calvinism  never  ran  to  seed.  He  was 
not  so  high  in  doctrine  as  his  brother.  Sir  Richard ; 
nor  so  low  as  his  brother,  the  Rev.  Briant  Hill.  He 
was  not  afraid  to  address  sinners  ;  and  when,  in  a  par- 
ticular place,  as  he  was  leaving  the  vestry  to  go  into 
the  pulpit,  one  of&ciously  hinted  to  him,  that  they 
preached  there  only  to  the  elect :  "  Well,"  said  he, 
"  neither  will  I,  if  you  '11  go  and  set  a  mark  upon 
them." 

There  was  nothing  he  was  so  anxious  to  prevent  as 
the  abuse  of  Gospel-grace.  Who  has  not  witnessed 
hici  abhorrence  of  Antimonianism  ?  Of  later  years, 
indeed,  he  was  led  to  notice  its  adherents  too  often, 
and  too  much.  For  they  were  unworthy  of  his  atten- 
tion ;  and  as  they  were  sure  from  prejudice  not  to  hear 


396        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS  OF   CHAKACTER. 

him,  it  was  trying  for  others  to  suffer  for  their  sakes. 
Never  did  a  minister  more  deserve  the  character  of  a 
Grospel-preacher.  Without  being  censorious,  a  hearer 
would  sometimes  be  perplexed  to  characterize  some 
men's  pulpit  performances,  James  the  First,  on  hear- 
ing a  discourse  in  which  the  preacher  had  much  of 
;)olitics,  turned  to  Bishop  Andrews,  and  said,  "My 
lord,  is  this  to  be  considered  a  sermon,  or  not?"  To 
v/Lich  he  replied,  "  May  it  please  your  majesty,  it  may 
pass  for  one  by  a  very  charitable  construction."  And 
Louis  XVI.  is  reported,  after  hearing  one  of  his  chap- 
lainS;  to  liave  said,  "This  preacher  would  have  left 
nothing  out  of  his  sermon,  if  he  had  haj)pened  to 
touch  upon  religion." 

But  no  candor  or  allowance  was  necessary  in  judg 
ing  of  Mr.  Hill's  discourse.  There  was  not  one  of 
tbem  but  more  than  touched  upon  the  sole  theme  of 
the  Apostle's  ministry,  "  Jesus  Christ  and  him  cruci- 
fied"— "the  Lord  our  righteousness  and  strength;" 
whatever  his  subject  was,  it  was  sure,  before  its  close, 
to  exhale  forth  something  of  the  "  savor  of  the  Re- 
deemer's knowledge." 

As  Mr.  Hill  is  not  to  be  tried  by  ordinary  rules,  and 
as  he  is  not  likely  to  become  a  precedent  or  example, 
(for  who  ever  again  is  likely  to  be  constituted  or  circum- 
stanced like  him  ?)  we  may  the  more  freely  speak  of 
his  character  and  ministry. 

He  has,  in  his  own  odd  way,  in  one  of  his  dialogues, 
spoken  of  three  kinds  of. preachers,  the  tap-cash^  the 
slop-dash^  and  the  slap-dash.  By  the  first  he  means 
preachers  distinguished  by  tame  and  inert  feebleness  ; 
without  faults,  but  also  destitute  of  all  energy  of 
thought  or  force  of  expression, — as  Shakspeare  would 


REY.    ROWLAND   HILL,    A.M.  397 

say,  fit  to  "  chronicle  small  beer."  By  tlie  second,  he 
means  preachers  mai'ked  by  strong  things  in  doctrine.^ 
but  loose,  and  hazardous,  and  extravagant  in  repre- 
sentation ;  aiming  at  great  effect  by  the  noise  of  man- 
ner and  the  conceits  of  folly.  But  by  the  third,  the 
slap-dasJiers,  he  meant  preachers  whose  addresses  were 
attended  by  an  artificial  and  often  abrupt  manner; 
with  sudden  and  bold  allusions  and  stirring  anecdotes ; 
and  rough  and  homely  familiarities  of  expression,  and 
flashes  of  imagination  and  passion ;  preachers  who, 
despising  formality,  and  aiming  at  impressiveness,  if 
not  offending,  sometimes  alarming,  taste  ;  yet  keep 
within  the  bounds  of  truth  and  general  propriety 
This  third  species,  as  differing  from  the  two  former, 
was  the  kind  of  preaching  which  Mr.  Hill  intended  to 
recommend,  and  to  practice.  Let  us  see  how  far  he 
exemplified  it. 

And  here,  while  we  would  not  plead  for  anything 
improper,  by  whatever  authority  it  has  been  sanction- 
ed ;  so  neither  shall  we  censure  anything  against  which 
mere  fastidiousness,  or  affectation,  or  prejudice,  may 
object.  There  may  be  a  negligence  of  style  which 
betrays  a  nobleness  of  mind,  a  mind  too  m'uch  im- 
pressed with  things  to  be  at  liberty  to  attend  to  the 
nicety  and  order  of  words ;  though  here  another  'ex- 
treme is  to  be  avoided,  and  plainness  of  dress  is  not  to 
let  in  the  disgust  of  slatternliness. 

The  goodness  (we  speak  now  only  of  the  goodness' 
of  their  composition)  of  public  discourses,  depends 
much  upon  their  adaptation  to  the  audience  addressed, 
and  the  aim  the  speaker  has  in  view.  Mr.  Hill  always 
wished  to  be  considered  the  Apostle  of  the  common 
people,  in  resemblance  of  Him  whom  the  common 


398       PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF   CHARACTER. 

people  heard  gladly,  and  in  whose  teaching  "  the  poor 
had  the  Gospel  preached  unto  them."  But  he  who 
undertakes  tliis  work  of  faith  and  labor  of  love,  will 
find  that  he  has  not  to  address  angels,  or  sometimes 
hardly  men.  He  will  need  to  learn  the  advice  which 
Isocrates  was  wont  to  give  his  pupils, — "  Study  the 
people  ;"  or  that  which  Cromwell  gave  to  his  soldiers, 
— "  Fire  low."  Had  his  men  fired  high,  they  would 
have  done  no  more  execution  than  some  of  our  preach- 
ers who  shoot  over  their  hearers'  heads. 

The  eloquence  of  the  pulpit  cannot  be,  in  the  nature 
of  things,  philosophical ;  but  is  it  rhetorical  ?  The 
feelings  are  always  eloquent  ;  but  they  cannot  be 
learned  in  the  schools.  "  Khetoric,"  says  Coleridge, 
"is  the  creature  of  art,  which  he  \f\\o  feels  less  will 
most  excel  in.  It  is  the  quackery  of  eloquence, 
abounding  with  specious  but  mere  pretensions.  Elo- 
quence was  ruined  after  it  began  to  be  taught  by 
sophists  and  grammarians  in  the  schools."  If  the  wish 
and  aim  of  a  preacher  should  be  mere  eloquence,  he 
would  do  well  to  remember  the  observation  of  Mr. 
Hall: — "A  consummate  orator  is  a  character  which 
we  despair  of  ever  seeing  perfectly  associated  with 
that  of  a  Christian  teacher.  The  minister  of  the  Gos- 
pel is  called  to  declare  the  testimony  of  God,  which  is 
always  weakened  by  a  profuse  employment  of  the  or- 
naments of  secular  eloquence.  The  imagination  is  too 
much  excited  and  employed  by  those  exquisite  paint- 
ings and  nice  touches  of  art,  not  to  interfere  with  the 
awful  functions  of  conscience  ; — ^the  hearer  is  absorb- 
ed in  admiration,  and  the  exercise  which  ought  to  be 
the  instrument  of  conviction  becomes  a  feast  of  taste. 
It  is  a  strong  objection  to  a  studied  attempt  at  oratory 


REV.   ROWLAND   HILL,    A.M.  399 

in  the  pulpit,  that  it  naturally  induces  a  neglect  of  the 
peculiar  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  where  the  preacher 
feels  himself  restrained,  and  is  under  the  necessity  of 
explaining  texts,  of  obviating  objections,  and  elucidat- 
ing difficulties,  which  hmit  the  excursions  of  imagina- 
tion, and  not  only  confine,  but  break  his  fine  expatiat- 
ings  in  the  flowery  field  of  declamation." 

Hume  observes,  that  the  speaker  who  most  power- 
fully affects  the  mass  of  an  audience,  ought  to  be  con- 
sidered the  greatest  orator.  And  Dr.  Campbell  says, 
— "  "We  readily  admit,  and  zealously  contend,  that  no- 
thing can  be  more  opposite  to  a  just  notion  of  elo- 
quence than  a  rule  to  exclude  familiar  and  very  hum- 
ble objects  and  topics  from  all  intervention  in  the  il- 
lustration of  great  subjects."  Under  the  direction  of 
genius,  very  common,  and  even  mean  matters  may  be 
conjured  up  into  marvellous  appositeness,  and  digni- 
fied services. 

To  return  : — These  remarks  are  not  impertinent. 
They  will  prepare  us  to  go  forward,  and  will  serve  in 
a  measure  to  explain,  and  in  a  degree  to  defend,  the 
preacher  before  us. 

■  Mr.  Hill  was  not,  as  many  think,  who  have  only 
heard  of  him  by  report,  that  lying  tale-bearer,  a  mere 
boisterous  bawler.  He  was  sometimes  loud,  and  occa- 
sionally even  vehement ;  but  in  common  his  voice  only 
rose  with  his  subject ;  and  it  was  easy  to  perceive  that 
it  was  commonly  influenced  and  regulated  by  hia 
thoughts  and  feelings.  He  was  not  like  those  who 
strain  and  roar  always,  and  equally,  having  no  more 
energy  or  emphasis  for  one  thing  than  another.  A& 
the  parts  of  a  subject  most  vary,  some  being  more  ten- 
der, some  more  awful,  some  more  plani,  and  some 


400      p]:actical  illustrations  of  character. 

more  abstruse,  a  uniformity  of  vehemence  must  be  un- 
natural ;  it  is  obviously  mechanical ;  and  will,  after 
awhile,  have  only  a  kind  of  automaton  eflect. 

Mr.  Hill  had  an  assistant  that  erred  this  way,  and  I 

remember  how  he  one  day  reproved  him.     "  J ," 

said  he,  "you  yelp  like  a  puppy  as  soon  as  you  get 
into  the  field ;  but  I  am  an  older  hound,  and  do  not 
wish  to  cry  till  I  have  started  running." 

As  many  things  said  of  him  were  entirely  false,  so 
some  that  were  true  were  much  enlarged  and  aggra- 
vated. But  he  had  many  freedoms  in  the  pulpit  which 
could  not  be  entirely  justified.  These  were  common- 
ly the  effects  of  his  engaging  with  little  or  no  premed- 
itated preparation.  He  never  wrote  anything  like  an 
outline,  or  even  seemed  to  have  attempted  to  method- 
ize his  thoughts.  Three  things  have  often  made  me 
wonder  at  his  continual  neglect  of  this  : — First.  That 
it  arose  not  from  inability.  He  could  think,  and  think 
consecutively  and  orderly,  as  appears  from  his  Dia- 
logues,— a  species  of  writing  in  which  he  excelled,  and 
which  requires  no  small  degree  of  reflection,  forecast, 
and  comparison.  Secondly.  That  he  was  not  urged  to 
more  previous  arrangement  and  readiness,  from  his 
suffering  so  much,  which  I  know  he  occasion  all}-,  if 
not  frequently,  did^  from  his  embarrassments  in  his  work, 
and  his  uneasiness  after  it  was  over.  And,  Thirdly. 
That  his  piety  did  not  constrain  him,  by  .reflecting 
what  a  talent  was  given  him,  in  having  the  care  of  a 
thousand  people  committed,  to  him ;  and  what  a  duty 
it  was  to  use  it  to  the  best  possible  advantage. 

His  text  seldom  much  confined  him.  I  heard  his 
brother.  Sir  Kichard,  complaining  of  this,  and  making 
this  jus*  -^pmark, — "  When  a  man  gives  out  a  text,  he 


REV.    EOWLAND   HILL,    A.M.  401 

raises  my  expectation  to  hear  that  text  explained,  and 
improved ;  and  I  feel  disappointed  if  I  hear  as  good 
or  better  things  from  any  other  words," 

Yet,  though  I  think  a  method,  in  a  way  of  divisions, 
(not  multiplied,)  is  a  great  aid  to  the  preacher  and  the 
hearer,  the  meaning  of  a  text  mav  be  substantially 
treated  without  it ;  and  Mr.  Hill  would  sometimes,  by 
a  fe"vr  bold  thoughts,  strike  out  most  powerfully  the 
spirit  of  a  passage.  The  most  original  and  brilliant 
sentiments  I  ever  heard  him  deliver,  escaped  from  him 
in  his  loosest  harangues,  and  when  his  mind  was  void 
of  all  sense  of  effort.  Indeed,  when  a  preacher  Avho 
extemporizes  much  is  in  a  good  frame  of  mind,  and 
thought  flows  freely  and  easily,  he  will  feel  more  fresh 
and  lively  than  one  who  has  anticipated  and  familiar- 
ized his  subject  by  premeditation ;  but,  at  other  times, 
having  nothing  to  support  him,  or  to  start  from,  he  is 
perplexed  by  effort,  or  reduced  to  very  commonplace. 
So  true  it  is,  as  Lord  Brougham  says,  that  "  he  who 
studies,  and  is  most  prepared,  always  extemporizes 
best." 

I  have  observed  that,  while  divisions  of  the  subject 
were  to  others  only  as  the  banks  of  a  river,  which  do 
not  hinder,  but  guide  and  accelerate  the  stream ;  all 
Mr,  Hill's  attempts  at  arrangement,  if  he  had  made 
any,  would  have  been  like  throwing  something  across 
the  current,  which  impeded  and  made  it  run  astray. 

He  was  in  danger  from  another  quarter,  Wit^  it  has 
been  said,  is  a  quality  which  more  instantly  and  irresist- 
ibly pleases  and  captivates  than  any  other  attribute  of 
a  speaker.  We  need  not  wonder,  therefore,  if  the  pos- 
sessor of  this  endowment  should  be  tempted  to  use  it 
unduly  and  unseasonably.     How  hard  must  it  have 


402        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

been  for  Mr.  Hill  to  leave  his  humor  behind  him  when 
he  entered  the  pulpit !  Iliis  was,  indeed,  overruled 
for  good,  and  the  expectation  of  hearing  something 
droll  and  witty  drew  many  to  hear  him,  who,  though 
they  came  to  laugh,  returned  to  pray.  But  Mr.  Hill 
himself  was  not  unconscious  of  the  danger  here.  In 
his  sermon  on  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Roquet  of 
Bristol,  he  says, — "  Amid  all  these  amiable  endow- 
ments, is  it  to  be  wondered  at  if  one  hears  a  distant 
hint,  as  if  now  and  then  my  dear  loved  friend  might 
have  been  supposed  to  have  made  somewhat  of  a 
small  elopement  from  that  cheerfulness  which  is  truly 
Christian,  towards  a  disposition  too  nearly  bordering 
upon  a  turn  of  pleasantry,  which  might  have  needed 
a  little  more  of  the  spirit  of  solemnity  ?  With  the 
greatest  delicacy  I  mention  this  hint,  and  am  glad  to 
cover  it  with  the  mantle  of  love,  by  lamenting  he.fore 
you  all  the  same  weakness.  A  lively^  active  disposition 
is  too  apt  to  lead  into  this  mistake.  In  many  things  we 
offend,  and  it  is  of  the  Lord's  mercies  that  we  are  not  con- 
sumed}^ 

A  man  should  never  dive  who  cannot  swim.  Mr. 
Hill  could  come  up  again ;  and  we  have  often  seen  the 
smile  which  he  excited  soon  followed  by  the  dropping 
tear.  Yet  these  outbreaks  of  wit  and  humor  some- 
times gave  offence,  and  caused  his  good  to  be  evil 
spoken  of;  and  it  must  be  owned  that  his  ideas,  like 
rich  clusters  of  grapes,  sometimes,  for  want  of  pro})cr 
support,  fell  down  and  were  soiled  upon  the  ground. 
But,  though  you  could  not  tie  the  wings  or  guide  the 
flight  of  the  eagle  in  his  ])rcaching,  it  was  otherwise 
with  his  prayers.  There  was  nothing  eccentric,  no- 
thing of  levity  there       They  were  even   singularly 


REV.    RO"\VLAND   HILL,    A.M.  403 

solemn,  serious,  and  devotional ;  and  tliey  liad  also 
two  other  good  qualities.  They  were  always  shorty  and 
also  free  from  the  introduction  of  very  particular  cases, 
which  endangers  devotion  by  awakening  curiosity,  and 
embarrasses  the  preacher  by  the  difficulty  of  properly 
wording  them. 

I  do  not  think  with  some  that  candor  was  one  of 
Mr.  Hill's  greatest  qualities.  Among  his  own  imme- 
diate connections,  he  expected  implicit  submission,  and 
his  will  was  law.  Of  other  parties,  who  differed  from 
him',  he  could  speak  freely.*  He  did  not  always  dis- 
tinguish between  bigotry  and  regularity,  nor  consider 
that  persons  were  not  to  be  run  down  as  illiberal  be- 
cause they  acted  conscientiously,  and  did  not  feel  them- 
selves at  liberty  to  tread  in  all  his  steps.     Johnson 

*  He  was  commonly  not  very  candid  or  courteous  toward  our 
Baptist  friends,  and  would  use  severe,  if  not  insulting  things,  wlien 
he  administered  the  ordinance  of  infant  baptism.  One  evening  he 
preached  at  our  association  at  Bath.  On  these  occasions  our  breth- 
ren of  all  denominations  mingle.  His  sermon  was  not  only  very 
loose  and  unconnected,  but  irritating  and  reflective  towards  the 
Baptists,  many  of  whom  were  present ;  so  that  their  minister,  Mr. 

P ,  instantly  left  the  place,  and  never  could  be  prevailed  upon 

to  hear  him  again.  The  case  was,  he  had  comedown  from  Chippen- 
ham in  the  afternoon,  where  they  had  told  him  of  the  indiscretions 
and  influence  of  some  not  very  well  accredited  Baptist  preacher 
This  prepossessed  his  mind ;  he  could  think  of  nothing  else,  and  for 
the  time  speak  of  nothing  else.  And  this  leads  me  to  observe  how 
much  depended  always,  as  to  his  preaching,  upon  the  company  and 
conversation  of  the  persons  he  immediately  left  to  go  into  the  pul- 
pit. These  would  commonly  give  a  turn  or  a  tincture  to  the  ser- 
mon. His  wisest  and  best  friends  knew  this,  and  would  be  con- 
cerned to  bring  forward  nothing  but  what  would  rather  aid  than 
injure  him.  Upon  this  principle,  he  always  preached  best  of  a  Sun- 
day morning,  when  the  bloom  was  not  rubbed  off,  and  he  only  left 
the  company  of  prophets  and  apostlea. 


404        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CIIARACTEK. 

surprised  some  when  he  was  in  Scotland,  by  calling  a 
man  who  seemed  to  lay  stress  upon  nothing,  "  a  bigot 
to  laxness." 

But  too  much  cannot  be  said  of  his  benevolence  and 
beneficence.  Tenderness  and  kindness  seemed  inher- 
ent in  his  very  nature  ;  and  they  were  nourished  and 
strengthened  by  the  spirit  of  the  religion  which  he  so 
eminently  possessed.  He  did  good  to  the  beast,  and 
his  feeling  for  the  brutes  sometimes  showed  itself  in 
ways  which  many  would  be  almost  ready  to  ridicule ; 
but  it  bespoke  the  sensibility  of  his  disposition.*  And 
not  only  did  the  enthusiast  and  fanatic  (as  some  sup- 
posed him  to  be)  regard  the  souls  of  men,  but  their 
bodies  and  outward  estate.  Hence  his  frequent  col- 
lections for  the  poor,  and  his  visiting  their  lowly  sheds, 
and  teaching  them  arts  and  habits  of  economy.  Hence 
he  built  tenements  for  the  indigent  at  Wotton,  and 
alms-houses  for  widows  in  London.  Hence  he  even 
learned  vaccination,  and  always  carried  lymph  with 
him,  and  performed  upon  hundreds,  if  not  thousands, 
in  the  towns  and  villages  he  visited  in  preaching. 

"  I  have  seen  an  end  of  all  perfection ;"  and  my 
friend  had  failings.  The  greatest  of  these  I  ever  ob- 
served in  him  was  an  extremel}^  quick  sense  of  any 
injury  or  offence,  and  allowing  it  to  linger  about  his 
spirit.  The  offence,  too,  was  sometimes  supposed, 
rather  than  real,  or  credited  on  the  evidence  of  some 
tatler,  or  busybod}'-,  who  often  beset  him,  and  were 
not  sufficiently  frowned  off.    His  high  regard  for  mor- 

*  Thus  he  had  what  he  called  a  Frogery  and  Toadery  at  the 
bottom  of  his  orchard,  where  he  said  these  poor  creatures  would 
marry  and  be  given  in  marriage,  and  live  an  unpersecuted  and 
merry  life. 


REV.   ROWLAND   HILL,    A.M.  405 

al  consistency  would  be  enougli  to  make  one  impro- 
priety, or  indiscretion,  undo  mucli  of  an  opposite  qual- 
ity, and  where  there  was  anything  actuall}'  peccable 
in  the  character  of  a  professor,  or  especially  a  minister, 
the  spirituality  and  purity  of  his  mind  would  render 
it  more  intolerable  to  him  than  it  would  be  to  many 
men. 

With  too  little  discrimination  many  of  his  striking 
sayings  and  allusions  have  been  published.  If  I  were 
required  to  add  to  them,  I  should  not  repeat  many  of 
his  homespun,  famihar,  lowly,  and  very  simple  images 
and  illustrations ;  but  only  try  to  distinguish  the  flow- 
ers he  gathered  off  the  bank  from  those  which  occa- 
sionally he  drew  from  the  ditch.  Yet  here  it  is  very 
probable  I  should  be  too  fastidious  for  some,  and  ad- 
mit and  admire  too  much  for  others.  In  one  of  his 
sermons  he  was  speaking  of  the  value  of  the  Gospel 
from  its  relative  aim  and  influence.  "It  makes,"  says 
he,  "husbands  better  husbands,  and  wives  better  wives ; 
parents  better  parents,  children  better  children ;  mas- 
ters better  masters,  and  servants  better  servants  ;  in  a 
word,  I  would  not  give  a  farthing  for  that  man's  relig- 
ion whose  cat  and  dog  were  not  the  better  for  it !" 
Every  one  could  not  have  uttered  this,  but  I  received 
it  from  no  less  a  person  than  Mr.  Wilberforce,  who 
heard  it  himself,  and  who  remarked  that,  while  prob- 
ably everything  else  he  said  that  evening  was  long- 
ago  forgotten,  no  one  would  ever  forget  this. 

Preaching  at  one  of  our  Associations,  and  seeing 
several  ministers  present  who  were  belligerents,  he 
gave  an  arch  look  towards  them,  and  said,  "  I  am 
afraid  some  preachers  will  die  of  the  fat  rot." 

Not  very  long  before  his  death,  meeting  an  acquaint- 


406        TRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   C  P   CHARACTER. 

ancc  who  was  nearly  as  aged  as  liim  self,  lie  said,  "If 
you  and  I  don't  march  off  soon,  our  friends  yonder" 
(looking  upwards)  "  will  think  we  have  lost  our  way." 

Eeading  in  my  pulpit  the  words  of  the  woman  at  the 
well,  "  the  Jews  have  no  dealings  with  the  Samaritans," 
— looking  off,  as  if  he  saw  the  parties  themselves,  he 
exclaimed,  "  But  the  devil  has  had  dealings  enough 
with  both  of  you." 

He  one  day  said,  "  "When  I  was  in  Scotland  I  found 
many  parties  all  very  clever  and  zealous  in  defending 
their  own  tenets,  and  distinguishing  between  their 
/Sibboleths  and  Shibboleths.  There  were  the  Lifters  and 
the  anti-Lifters.  These  were  divided  by  the  action  of 
the  minister  in  the  sacramental  elements, — viz.,  whcth(?r, 
in  the  consecration  of  them  at  the  table,  he  should  lift 
them  up  or  not.  One  of  their  pastors  was  ordained  by 
imposition  of  hands;  but  one  of  the  elders  could  not 
reach  his  hand  far  enough  to  impose  it  on  the  head  of 
the  candidate,  and  so  he  put  along  his  cane.  This," 
says  he,  "  did  equally  well ;  it  was  timber  to  timber." 

I  never  thought  Mr.  Hill  particularly  happy  in  the 
introduction  of  many  of  his  anecdotes.  As  far  as  wit, 
humor,  or  drollery  was  concerned,  he  invariably  suc- 
ceeded ;  but  sometimes  they  were  abruptly  brought  in, 
in  consequence  of  the  failure  of  subject-matter  to  go 
on  with ;  and  Mr.  Hill's  voice,  though  good  and  strong, 
was  not  versatile  and  pathetic,  so  as  to  make  the  cir- 
cumstance of  the  incident  to  "  touch  and  tell."  Herein 
he  was  inferior  to  Whitfield.  Though  he  had  more 
stoutness,  and  firmness,  and  independence  of  mind 
than  Whitfield,  he  had  not  the  same  softness  and  sen- 
sibility ;  while  Whitfield's  voice  was  incomparable,  not 
only  distinct  and  loud,  but  abouit.^ing  with  every  kind 


REV.    ROWLAND   HILL,    A.M.  i07 

of  inflection,  and  perfectly  under  tlie  power  of  the 
owner ;  so  tliat  he  could  render  everything  he  express- 
ed, however  common  or  insignificant  in  itself,  striking 
and  affecting.  How  many  proofs  and  instances  of  this 
did  I  receive  from  my  friend  and  tutor,  Mr.  Winter, 
who  related  them  from  his  own  observation  and  hear- 
ing !  I  lament  I  did  not  receive  more  of  them  from 
his  mouth.  At  this  moment  I  remember  two  of  them, 
which,  as  specimens,  I  will  exactly  relate. 

On  going  to  preach  at  Bristol  Tabernacle,  he  began 
his  series  of  sermons  on  the  eve  of  Bristol  fair.  His 
text  was  Isaiah,  Iv.  1 :  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth, 
come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money ; 
come  ye,  buy,  and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk 
without  money  and  without  price."  The  congregation 
was  large.  Thus  he  began : — "My  dear  hearers,  I  fear 
many  of  you  are  come  to  attend  Bristol  fair.  So  am  I. 
You  do  not  mean  to  show  your  goods  until  to  morrow ; 
but  I  shall  exhibit  mine  to-night.  You  are  afraid 
purchasers  will  not  come  up  to  your  prices ;  but  1  am 
afraid  my  buyers  will  not  come  down  to  mine;  for  mine 
(striking  his  hand  on  the  Bible)  are  '  without  money 
and  without  price.' " 

Upon  the  death  of  his  wife,  he  preached  her  faneral 
sermon.  The  text  was,  "  And  we  know  that  all  things 
work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them 
who  are  the  called  according  to  his  purpose." — Romans, 
viii.  28.  In  noticing  her  character  he  mentioned  her 
fortitude,  and  suddenly  exclaimed,  "  Do  you  remember 
my  preaching  in  those  fields,  by  the  old  stump  of  the 
tree  ?  The  multitude  was  great,  and  many  were  dis- 
posed to  be  riotous.  At  first  I  addressed  them  firmly ; 
but  when  a  desperat    gang  of  banditti  drew  near,  with 


•108        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

the  most  ferocious  looks  and  horrid  imprecations  and 
menaces,  my  courage  began  to  fail.  My  wife  was  then 
standing  behind  me,  as  I  stood  on  the  table.  I  think 
I  hear  her  now.  Slie  pulled  my  gown  (he  then  put  his 
hand  behind  him,  and  touched  his  gown),  and,  looking 
up,  said  '  George,  play  the  man  for  your  God.'  My 
confidence  returned.  I  again  spoke  to  the  multitude 
with  boldness  and  affection ;  they  became  still ;  and 
many  were  deeply  affected." 

Mr.  Hill  sometimes  rendered  a  word  of  rebuke  equal- 
ly strong  and  witty.  Thus,  when  a  preacher  of  no  very 
good  reputation  was  in  the  vestry  of  a  place  where  he 
was  going  to  preach,  and  seemed  uneasy  lest  his  servant 
should  not  arrive  in  time  with  his  cassock,  Mr.  Hill 
said,  "  Sir,  you  need  not  be  uneasy ;  for  I  can  preach 
wdthout  my  cassock,  though  I  cannot  preach  without 
my  character." 

As  he  was  coming  out  of  a  gentleman's  house  in 
Piccadilly,  he  met  in  the  passage  a  minister  with  a 
begging  case,  who,  though  popular  with  some,  had,  it 
was  suspected,  been  imposing  for  a  good  while  on  the 
reli.gious  public ;  who  offered  him  liis  hand,  but  Mr. 
Hill  drew  back,  and  looking  him  in  his  face,  said. 
"  Ah,  I  thought  you  had  been  hanged  long  ago." 

A  forward  and  conceited  young  man  one  day  calling 
upon  him  at  my  house,  asked  him  if  he  had  heard 
that  he  was  going  to  change  his  sentiments?  "No, 
sir,"  said  Mr.  Hill,  "  I  have  not ;  but,  if  you  have  not 
fixed  the  time,  I  would  advise  you  to  do  it  as  near  the 
change  of  the  moon  as  possible." 

A  rather  talkative  woman  one  day  said  to  him,  "  I 
have  been  a  good  deal  of  late  with  some  papists,  and 
they  have  sadly  tempted  me  to  change  my  religion." 


REV.   EOWLAND   HILL,    A.M.  409' 

"Indeed,  ma'am,"  he  replied,  "I  was  not  aware  until 
now  you  had  any  religion  to  change." 

I  once  heard  him  repeat  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  wit- 
nessed the  great  effect  produced  when  he  had  said, 
"  Forgive  us  our  trespasses,"  by  making  a  considerable 
pause  before  he  added,  *'  as  we  forgive  them  that  tres- 
pass against  us ;"  as  if  he  almost  feared  to  utter  it,  lest 
he  should  condemn  himself  and  others. 

I  remember  what  an  impression  he  made  when 
preaching  for  me,  by  an  interj  active  parenthesis  ;  for 
when,  in  reading  the  chapter,  1  Thessalonians,  v.,  he 
repeated  the  verse,  "  Abstain  from  all  appearance  of 
evil,"  he  lifted  his  eyes,  and  said  in  a  very  solemn  voice, 
"  Oh,  the  infinite  delicacy  of  the  Gospel !" 

His  brother.  Sir  Richard,  once  told  me  of  an  early 
instance  of  his  adroitness,  remarking  that  he  was  the 
same  from  a  lad.  It  occurred  while  he  was  at  Eton 
College.  Even  then  he  was  under  deep  impression  of 
a  rehgious  nature ;  and  as  he  felt  the  importance  of 
divine  things  himself,  he  was  concerned  and  active  to 
do  good  to  others ;  and  thus  he  did  with  an  old  female 
servant  that  frequently  waited  upon  him.  She  one  day 
rather  reproved  him  for  his  zeal,  saying  that  persons 
should  not  be  righteous  over-much,  and  should  be 
careful  to  avoid  extremes  in  religion,  "  Some,"  she 
said,  "  were  too  cold,  and  some  were  too  hot."  "  Then," 
said  young  Rowland,  "  I  suppose  you  think  that  we 
had  better  be  lukewarm?"  "Yes,"  she  said,  "that 
was  the  proper  medium."  He  then  took  up  his  Testa- 
ment, and  read  the  Saviour's  address  to  the  Church  of 
Laodicea; — "I  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot.  So 
then  because  thou  art  lukewarm^  and  neither  cold 
nor  hot,  I  will  spue  thee  out  of  my  mouth  ;"  at  which 

18 


410        PRACTICAL  ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  CHARACTER. 

his  tepid  admohisher  seemed  a  little  surprised  and 
aghast. 

He  was  the  intimate  friend  of  Dr.  Jenner,  who  in- 
troduced vaccination.  To  this  discovery  he  was  an 
admiring  and  practical  devotee.  I  was  one  day  with 
him  when  one  of  the  company  was  speaking  rather 
disrespectfully  of  this  remedy,  and  said  there  was 
something  very  disagreeable  and  offensive  in  commu- 
nicating a  disease  from  a  filthy  beast  into  a  hulnan 
being.  "A  filthy  beast,  sir !  why,  a  cow  is  one  of  the 
most  agreeable  of  all  animals ;  everything  about  her 
is  wholesome  and  useful ;  we  get  odor  from  her  breath  ; 
she  supplies  our  tables  with  meat,  and  butter,  and 
cream,  and  cheese;  and  I  assure  you,  sir,  I  would 
rather  eat  a  cow  than  a  Christian." 

I  Jmow  that  once  at  Wotton  he  was  preaching  in  the 
afternoon,  (the  only  time  when  it  seemed  possible  to 
be  drowsy  under  him,)  he  saw  some  sleeping,  and 
paused,  saying,  "  I  have  heard  that  the  miller  can 
sleep  while  the  mill  is  going,  but  if  it  stops  it  awakens 
him.  I'll  try  this  method;"  and  so  sat  down,  and 
soon  saw  an  aroused  audience. 

I  was  one  day  walking  with  him  through  Bath.  In 
the  market-place  we  met  an  eminent  clergyman,  whom 
he  much  respected,  but  with  whom  he  could  be  fa- 
miliar, having  been  at  college  with  him.  He  had  for 
some  weeks  been  in  the  city,  where,  as  to  his  not  hav- 
ing preached  in  any  of  the  churches  there  excited  no 
surprise ;  but  Mr.  Hill  thought  it  became  him  to  coun- 
tenance his  own  creed  wherever  he  was  by  his  prac- 
tice.  He  therefore  began  instantly  :  "  Ah  !  Mr. 

this  wiU  never  do.  You  know  the  value  of  the  Gos 
pel ;  you  have  published,  not  only  in  favor  of  its  truth, 


REV.   ROWLAND  HILL,   A.M.  411 

but  of  its  all-importance.  You  liave  contended  that 
God  only  gives  testimony  to  the  word  of  his  grace ; 
and  have  said  that  those  who  preach  any  other  doc- 
trine are  betrayers  and  destroyers  of  souls,  condemn- 
ing them  as  worse  than  Eobespierre,  who  only  mur- 
dered men's  bodies,  while  these  destroyed  their  souls." 
The  divine  began  to  explain  and  defend.  "  Nay," 
said  Mr.  Hill,  "my  dear  brother,  I  may  take  you  upon 
your  own  ground,  and  argue  with  you  on  your  own 
principles  and  professions.  How  can  you,  with  your 
avowed  sentiments,  turn  your  back  upon  the  Gospel 
where  it  is  preached,  and  go  where  you  acknowledge 
it  is  not  preached,  owning,  too,  a  great  difference  be- 
tween things  essential  and  not  essential  in  religion ; 
and  that  our  preferences  in  subordinate  matters  should 
not  amount  to  exclusions.  What  is  the  chaff  to  the 
wheat?  I  contend  that  always,  and  wherever  we  are, 
we  ought  to  show"  our  regard  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus ;  and  that  this  cannot  be  done  by  indifferent 
and  indiscriminate  attendance.  Here  you  admonish 
people  to  abide  where  they  are  ;  praying  and  waiting 
till  the  Gospel  comes  there,  without  any  promise  when 
it  will  come,  or  whether  it  will  come  at  all  into  their 
particular  church,  unless  in  the  latter-day  glory  ;  while 
in  the  meantime  they  are  hearing  words  which  cause 
them  to  err,  and  are  in  danger  of  perishing  for  lack  of 
knowledge.  Can  you  believe  that  one  would  do  this 
who  determined  to  know  nothing  save  Jesus  Christ 
and  him  crucified ;  and  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things 
for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus 
his  Lord?"  "Dear  Eowland,"  said  his  Mend,  "  I  see 
you  are  Eowland  still."  "Yes,"  said  his  reprover, 
"  and  I  hope  I  shall  never  change  or  skulk  even  to  the 


412        PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  CHARACTER. 

end.  You  say  I  go  too  far.  You  kuow  in  doctrine 
you  go  as  far  as  I  go ;  but  I  see  you  have  met  with 
Nicodemus ;  and  the  fear  of  men  bringeth  a  snare." 

Mr. was  now  glad  to  turn  the  conversation, 

and  to  notice  the  grand  victory  of  Trafalgar,  which 
had  just  been  achieved.  "  Ah  !"  said  Mr.  Ilill,  "  do 
you  not  admire  the  strain  of  piety  in  Collingwood's 
despatches?  I  declare  I  wish  that  some  of  our  ad- 
mirals were  made  bishops,  though  I  could  not  wish 
that  any  of  our  bishops  were  made  admirals — ^unless 
yellow  ones." 

To  conclude  this  imperfect  sketch.  Let  us  hear  a 
voice,  saying,  "  What  God  hath  cleansed,  that  call  not 
thou  common ;"  and  let  us  honor  them  whom  God 
honors,  however  they  may  differ  from  us.  ~  He  will  do 
his  own  work  in  his  own  way ;  and  let  him  do  what 
seemethf  him  good.  We  need  instruments  of  all  kinds, 
and  every  man  in  his  own  order.  Sharp-shooters 
may  do  execution,  as  well  as  the  rank-and-file  soldiers, 
and  belong  to  the  same  army,  though  their  movements 
are  detached,  and  they  seem  to  act  irregularly.  David 
essayed  to  go  in  Saul's  armor,  and  could  not ;  but  was 
he  inef&cient  with  his  sling  and  stones  ? 

Above  all,  let  us  glorify  God  in  him.  He  might 
well  have  said,  "By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I 
am ;  and  I  labored  more  abundantly  than  they  all ; 
yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  which  was  with  me." 
And  how  exceedingly  abundant  was  that  grace  towards 
him,  in  the  faith,  and  love  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus ! 

Behold  the  strength  of  a  principle  appearing  in  his 
ceaseless  and  self-denying  exertions  and  sacrifices; 
bearing  up  the  intenseness  of  his  ardor,  and  allowing 
nothing  to  drive  or  draw  him  for  one  moment  aside. 


EEV.   EOWLAND  HILL,   A.M.  413 

If  any  (for  none  can  accuse  him)  should  be  disposed 
to  pity  him  as  weak,  and  ridicule  him  as  fanatical,  a 
period  will  soon  rectify  their  judgment,  and  lead  them 
to  pass  sentence  on  themselves  : — "  We  fools  counted 
his  life  madness,  and  his  end  to  be  without  honor. 
Now  is  he  numbered  with  the  children  of  God,  and 
his  lot  is  with  the  saints !" 

"  They  that  be  wise  shall  shine  in  the  brightness 
of  the  firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to  right- 
eousness as  the  stars  forever  and  ever,"  and  in  that 
day  how  many  princes  and  heroes  and  philosophers 
will  envy  the  man  who,  through  good  report  and 
through  evil  report,  followed  his  Lord  with  single 
purpose  of  heart,  and  then  hear  that  Saviour  saying, 
"Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  thou 
into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 


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